PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Pope John Paul II celebrates a Divine Liturgy with beatifications in Lviv, 27 June 2001, on the last day of his five-day visit in Ukraine. One million Catholics gathered at the racecourse here as Pope John Paul II beatified 28 martyrs during the final mass of his controversial visit to the former Soviet Republic. AFP PHOTO POOL GABRIEL BOUYS

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Pope John Paul II grimaces as he addressES pilgrims from his apartment's window at the Vatican 30 March 2005. The 84-year-old ailing pontiff tried in vain to speak to the faithful and made the sign of the cross several times overlooking the crowd that cheered and clapped loudly in St. Peter's Square. AFP PHOTO/ Vincenzo PINTO

Pope John Paul II touches his forehead as he addresses pilgrims from his apartment's window at the Vatican 30 March 2005. The 84-year-old ailing pontiff tried in vain to speak to the faithful and made the sign of the cross several times overlooking the crowd that cheered and clapped loudly in St. Peter's Square. AFP PHOTO/ Vincenzo PINTO

Pope John Paul II observes three minutes of silence for the victims of the southeast Asian tsunami at the end of his weekly's general audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican 05 January 2005. The 84-year-old Pontiff again asked Christians to pray for the populations stricken by Asia's tsunami disaster, as Europe-wide mourning ceremonies were under way on Wednesday. AFP PHOTO/Paolo COCCO

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Pope John Paul II gestures during a weekly's general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican 15 September 2004. AFP PHOTO/Paolo COCCO

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Pope John Paul II takes part at the procession and the blessing of the candles, during a mass for the "festivity of the presentation of the Lord", 02 February 2004 in St-Peter's basilica at the Vatican.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Pope John Paul II takes a pause during the Beatification mass of Mother Teresa 19 October 2003 on St Peter Square at the Vatican. Thousands of pilgrims flocked to the Vatican just six years after the death of the nun they called the "Saint of the gutters". AFP PHOTO VINCENZO PINTO

Pope John Paul II grimaces during his weekly Angelus prayer 12 October 2003 in St Peter square. A tired Pope paid tribute to young people as he looked ahead to celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of his election this week. John Paul II, whose failing health has caused deep concern to Catholics worldwide, will celebrate a special thanksgiving mass in Vatican Thursday to mark his 25th anniversary as pope. AFP PHOTO/Patrick HERTZOG

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Pope John Paul II celebrates an open-air mass, 12 September 2003 in front of tens of thousands of people gathered in the central square of Banska Bystrica, 230 kilometers northeast of the Slovakian capital Bratislava during his four-day visit in Slovakia. AFP PHOTO / PATRICK HERTZOG

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/ WOJTEK LASKI Osma pielgrzymka papieza Jana Pawla II do Polski, Krakow, 17.08.2002. N/z: msza i poswiecenie Sanktuarium Bozego Milosierdzia w Lagiewnikach

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/WOJTEK LASKI 16.08.2002. Osma pielgrzymka papieza Jana Pawla II do Polski. Papiez na lotnisku w Balicach w Krakowie. 30th anniversary of pontificate of Pope John Paul II. Karol Wojtyla was elected and intronisated on 16 October 1978.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Pope John Paul II concentrates during an open mass celebrated in central Astana 23 September 2001. The 81-year-old Pontiff is on the second day of his visit to Kazakhstan and Armenia. AFP PHOTO REUTERS POOL/PAOLO COCCO

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP PHOTO Pope John Paul II attends a meeting with young people at the Cathedral of the Dormition, the Greek Catholic patriarchate, in Damascus 07 May 2001.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Pope John Paul II yawns during an open-air mass at Abbassyin stadium in Damascus 06 May 2001 on the second day of his four-day visit to Syria as part of his pilgrimage in the footsteps of St. Paul. AFP PHOTO/Gabriel BOUYS

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP PHOTO Pope John Paul II prays as the wind blows his cap during his weekly general audience, in Saint Peter Square in Vatican, 21 March 2001. The Pope is to visit Greece on May 04 and 05 said Vatican nuncio Palo Sardi Tuesday.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Pope John Paul II prays during his last general audience of the jubilee Year in Saint Peter Square in Vatican, 03 January 2001. Pope John Paul II will close the Holy Door next Saturday 06 January 2001. AFP PHOTO GABRIEL BOUYS

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Pope John Paul II prays during his last general audience of the Jubilee Year in Saint Peter Square in Vatican, 03 January 2001. Pope John Paul II will close the Holy Door next saturday 06 January 2001. AFP PHOTO GABRIEL BOUYS

PHOTO: EAST NEWS PIELGRZYMKA JANA PAWLA II DO EGIPTU: PAPIEZ PODCZAS SPOTKANIA EKUMENICZNEGO W KATEDRZE OUR LADY W KAIRZE Pope John Paul II covers his face with his hand at the Cathedral of Our Lady in Cairo 25 February 2000 during a ecumenical meeting. The Pope is on the second day of his trip to Egypt.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/WOJTEK LASKI Siodma pielgrzymka papieza Jana Pawla II do Polski 1999, Torun, 07.06.1999 N/z: nabozenstwo czerwcowe z homilia, beatyfikacja Stefana Wincentego Frelichowskiego, papiez podczas modlitwy Pope's 7th visit to Poland, 06.07.99. Mass in Torun

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/WOJTEK LASKI Siodma pielgrzymka papieza Jana Pawla II do Polski 1999, Torun, 07.06.1999 N/z: nabozenstwo czerwcowe z homilia, beatyfikacja Stefana Wincentego Frelichowskiego, papiez podczas modlitwy Pope's 7th visit to Poland, 06.07.99. Mass in Torun Pope's 7th visit to Poland, 07.06.99. Mass in Torun