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Some days before the Pope's anniversary, Natalia Tsarkova presents her official portrait to John Paul II on May 8,2000.This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM
Natalia Tsarkova poses in her workshop situated two steps from the Vatican?s museums in Rome,Italy on April 18,2011. This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM
Natalia Tsarkova poses in her workshop situated two steps from the Vatican?s museums in Rome,Italy on April 18,2011. This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM
Natalia Tsarkova poses in her workshop situated two steps from the Vatican?s museums in Rome,Italy on April 18,2011. On the left a copy of the portrait ordered by the John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, on the right the official portrait of John Paul II painted in 2000. This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM
Natalia Tsarkova poses in her workshop situated two steps from the Vatican?s museums in Rome,Italy on April 18,2011. This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM
Natalia Tsarkova poses in her workshop situated two steps from the Vatican?s museums in Rome,Italy on April 18,2011. This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM
Natalia Tsarkova poses in her workshop situated two steps from the Vatican?s museums in Rome,Italy on April 18,2011. This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM
Natalia Tsarkova offers a wooden painted egg to John Paul II for his birthday on May 8,2004. This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM
Natalia Tsarkova offers a wooden painted egg to John Paul II for his birthday on May 8,2004. This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM
Pope John Paul II received for the last time Natalia Tsarkova at the Vatican on december 23,2004. He will die a few months later.This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM
A detail of the painting 'The Lady of Hope' with a small portrait of John Paul II in the trumpet realized by Natalia Tsarkova. Rome,Italy , April 18,2011. This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM
The pope's hat given by the Vatican to Natalia Tsarkova . Rome,Italy on April 18,2011. This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM
Sheet portraying late pope John Paul II during the synod of bishops in 2001 realized by Natalia Tsarkova. Rome,Italy, April 18,2011. This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM
Sheets portraying late pope John Paul II during the synod of bishops in 2001 realized by Natalia Tsarkova. Rome,Italy, April 18,2011. This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM
Sheets portraying the body of John Paul II in Saint Peter's Basilica on April 4,2005 realized by Natalia Tsarkova. Rome,Italy, April 18,2011. This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM
A portrait of late John Paul II realized in 2003 by Natalia Tsarkova,Rome,Italy April 18,2011. This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM
A portrait of late pope John Paul II realized in 2006 by Natalia Tsarkova. Rome,Italy on April 18,2011. This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM
The portrait of late Pope John Paul II ordered by the John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington to Natalia Tsarkova.Rome,Italy, April 18,2011. This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM
Benedict XVI's shoes given by the Vatican to Natalia Tsarkova . Rome,Italy on April 18,2011. This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM
The official portrait of late pope John Paul II painted by Natalia Tsarkova in 2000. Rome,Italy , April 18,2011. This attractive young Orthodox Russian was John Paul II?s official painter. John Paul II has left a deep impression on her, as he has on so many. 'The Holy Father has done miracles,' Tsarkova said. 'He stopped wars. He changed history. 'For me his beatification is so natural . I am very happy .' 'To be the painter of the pope is a big responsibility,You need to feel a lot of things. You especially have to feel faith. To really convey one's spirituality, you need to feel the person you're portraying. A painting of the Holy Father is a message.' PHOTO by Eric Vandeville/BACAPRESS.COM