Pope John Paul II (1920 - 2005)

[Pope John Paul II kneels in prayer at the Basilica of the Annunciation where Christians say the Angel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary she would bear Jesus Christ. Photo from Al-Ahram]

Karol Jozef Wojtyla is the only pope I know. He was elected pope the year I was born, 1978. I will forever cherish the moment I saw him and listened to his World Youth Day papal mass in Manila, Philippines last January 10 - 15, 1995. Although I am no longer a Catholic, I still truly love the Pope and consider his life one the greatest examples in history of a life lived for Christ.

In 1986, Pope John Paul II became the first pope to visit a Jewish synagogue, a fulfillment of an old Jewish proverb that "the persecution will end when the pope enters a synogogue." He publicly condemned the persecution afflicted on Jews in the past. In May 6, 2001, respectfully removing his shoes, Pope John Paul II became the first pope to enter an Islamic mosque (Umayyad mosque in Damascus, Syria) when he urged joint forgiveness of the Christians and Muslims. In March 12, 2000, at St. Peter's Basilica, Pope John Paul II made another history by asking the forgiveness of God for the sins committed by leaders and members of the Catholic church throughout the ages including the wrong inflicted on Jews, the women, and the minorities.

I wrote a short poem dedicated to our beloved Pope John Paul II.

"Wadowice Krakow Poland gave thee to the world
Holocaust thou hast witnessed and survived
zilch was thy fear to uphold Christ's teachings
thy life never ceased to show worth and meaning
a leader yet thou served
a vicar yet thou listened
a holy man yet thou kissed the soiled
an authority yet thou followed
good yet thou begged for pardon
righteous yet thou asked for mercy
a pope yet loved the Jews and the Muslims
thy life and legacy liveth in this world
thy soul eternal now lives with the Lord"
- Dandy Abesamis