PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP (FILES) Pope John Paul II is seen in this file picture taken 29 April 1989 in Antanarivo as he reaches out to young well-wishers prior a mass at Youth stadium in capital of Madagascar.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP People reach out to Pope John Paul ll as he blesses believers during a general hearing in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican 24 April. AFP PHOTO

? Andy Clark/CP/ABACA. 22376-3. Montreal-PQ-Canada, 11/9/84. Pope John-Paul II is surrounded by a gathering of school children reaching out to touch him at Notre Dame Basilica

Pilgrims wave as Pope John Paul II passes by in an open-top car on San Peter square 14 October at the Vatican , following his weekly audience. In 20 years as pope, John Paul II has welcomed 13,833,000 pilgrims from across the world during 877 audiences at the Vatican. The Holy see said 13 October that the pope had made 84 overseas trips and 132 visits within Italy, where crowds exceeded 100 million people. The first Slav in the history of the papacy, Karol Wojtyla became pope John Paul II 16 October 1978. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE)

Pope John Paul II walks among young people at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, Calif., Sept. 15, 1987. The pontiff addressed the group along with satellite viewers in Portland, Denver and St. Louis. (AP Photo/Bob Galbraith)

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Young Polish musicians cry as they perform for Pope John Paul II as he arrives for his weekly general audience in St Peter's square 15 October 2003. Thousands of Roman Catholic pilgrims packed St Peter's Square in the Vatican to hear Pope John Paul II give his last audience before celebrations to mark his 25 years on the papal throne.The hunched-over pope, crippled by Parkinson's disease that has left his movement severely restricted, waved to cheering pilgrims as he was driven around the square in front of Saint Peter's Basilica.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Brazilian navy military take pictures of Pope John Paul II as he leaves St Peter's square after his weekly general audience 15 October 2003. Thousands of Roman Catholic pilgrims packed St Peter's Square in the Vatican to hear Pope John Paul II give his last audience before celebrations to mark his 25 years on the papal throne.The hunched-over pope, crippled by Parkinson's disease that has left his movement severely restricted, waved to cheering pilgrims as he was driven around the square in front of Saint Peter's Basilica.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/WOJTEK LASKI Osma pielgrzymka papieza Jana Pawla II do Polski, Krakow, 18.08.2002 N/z: msza na bloniach krakowskich, podczas ktorej zostali beatyfikowani: arcyciskup Zygmunt Szczesny Felinski, ksiadz Jan Balicki, ojciec Jan Beyzym, siostra Janina Szymkowiak

FOT. EAST NEWS/WOJTEKLASKI Osma pielgrzymka papieza Jana Pawla II do Polski, Krakow, 18.08.2002 N/z: przejazd papieza ulicami Krakowa

FOT. EAST NEWS/WOJTEKLASKI Osma pielgrzymka papieza Jana Pawla II do Polski, Krakow, 18.08.2002 N/z: przejazd papieza ulicami Krakowa

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP PHOTO Pope John Paul II gestures during the mass of the consacration at the Sanctuary of the God's Mercy in Lagiewniki, a suburb of Krakow 17 August 2002, The Pope is in Poland, his homeland on the second day of his four-days visit, the ninth during his pontificate.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS JAN PAWEL II PODCZAS SWIATOWEGO DNIA MLODZIEZY 2000 W WATYKANIE Pope John Paul II delivers his blessing to the youths on his way from St John in Lateran Bsilica in Rome to St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican during the celebration ceremony of the Roman Catholic Church's World Youth Day, 15 August 2000. Over one million youths from 163 countries are expected to take part to the week-long celebrations.

Pope John Paul II salutes pilgrims who wear carneval dresses during the weekly general audience in Vatican city, 01 March 2000. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE)

Masses of faithful welcome Pope John Paul II (C) while he arrives at Warsaw^s central square to celebrate a Holy Mass 13 June 1999. The pontiff is on 9th day of his 13-day visit to his homeland Poland. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE)

Pope John Paul II waves to a crowd of thousands of Cubans waving Cuban and Vatican flags as he arrives in the Popemobile into the Ignacio Agramonte Plaza in Camaguey, Cuba 23 January to celebrate the second Mass of his five-day four-city tour of Cuba. The Pope is the first pontiff to ever visit Cuba. ELECTRONIC IMAGE AFP PHOTO/Roberto SCHMIDT

PHOTO: WOJTEK LASKI / EAST NEWS VI pielgrzymka papieza Jana Pawla II do Polski. N/Z: tlum wiwatuje na czesc papieza, Krosno, 10.06.1997. 6th apostolic journey of Pope John Paul II to Poland. Picture: worshippers greets Pope, Krosno, Poland, 10/06/1997.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/WOJTEK LASKI VI pielgrzymka papieza Jana Pawla II do Polski, Krakow, 10.06.1997 N/z: papiez w papamobile na ulicach Krakowa podczas pozegnalnego przejazdu

PHOTO: WOJTEK LASKI / EAST NEWS VI pielgrzymka papieza Jana Pawla II do Polski. N/Z: przejazd papieza na msze swieta, Krosno, 10.06.1997. 6th apostolic journey of Pope John Paul II to Poland. Pictured: a mass in Krosno, Poland, 10/06/1997.

PHOTO: WOJTEK LASKI / EAST NEWS VI pielgrzymka papieza Jana Pawla II do Polski. N/Z: Jan Pawel II odjezdza w papamoblie po odprawieniu mszy swietej i konsekracji Sanktuarium Matki Bozej Fatimskiej na Krzeptowkach, Zakopane, 07.06.1997. 6th apostolic journey of Pope John Paul II to Poland. Pictured: John Paul II drives away in papamobile after a mass celebration and concecration of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima at Krzeptowki, Zakopane, Poland, 07/06/1997.

PHOTO: WOJTEK LASKI / EAST NEWS VI pielgrzymka papieza Jana Pawla II do Polski. N/Z: okno udekorowane z okazji wizyty papieskiej, Gniezno, 03.06.1997. 6th apostolic journey of Pope John Paul II to Poland. Pictured: a window decorated for the papal visit, Gniezno, Poland, 03/06/1997.