Vox populi, vox Dei, is an old proverb quoted by William of Malmesbury in the 12^th C and is translated to mean: the voice of the people is the voice of God. During the 2005 funeral ceremony for Pope John Paul II, the crowds at the Vatican shouted ‘Santo subito!’ – Saint immediately! This was their wish, they had spoken and their voice became the voice of God.

John Paul II will not only become the patron of World Youth Day, having been the people’s pope, he certainly will become the people’s saint. John Paul II brought the papacy closer to the people of all world cultures and was unafraid to mix with the masses. He is said to have been the most recognized person in the world. Thus, his funeral is believed to have brought together the single largest gathering in world history. As a saint, John Paul can therefore be the patron of the following:

The patron of the Youth: John Paul II had a special affinity for young people, not because he was a youth but because he was youthful. During his installation ceremony in 1978, he told the youth: ‘you are the future of the world, you are the hope of the church, you are my hope.’ And his last words reportedly delivered hours before his death were also to the youth, in response to the thousands of young people praying and singing in St. Peter’s square. He said: ‘I sought you and now you have come to me… I thank you.’

The patron of Pilgrims: Pope John Paul was the pilgrim pope. He is the most travelled pope in the 2000 year history of the church. During his papacy, he visited a record of over 120 nations and was seen in person by millions.

The patron of politicians: John Paul was a globalist politician who helped work toward a one-world government and a one-world religious system. At his funeral were four kings, five queens and at least seventy presidents and prime ministers. He was neither the president nor a state official in the United States but when he died, president Bush ordered that the flags be flown at half mast at the White House and all federal buildings and military facilities until the pope is buried.

The patron of Africa: According to Cardinal Napier, John Paul II had a soft spot for Africa in general and for the bishops of Africa in particular.

The patron of Ecumenism: During his travels, he came into contact with believers of various divergent faiths. He had a good relationship with the Church of England and the relations between Catholicism and Judaism improved during his pontificate. He became the first pope to visit the eastern orthodox countries since the Great Schism; he was the first pope to enter and pray in a mosque and was visited eight times by the Buddhist religious leader, Dalai Lama.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I attended his funeral; thus making history by becoming the first Ecumenical Patriarch to attend a papal funeral since the Great Schism. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, was also present at a papal funeral for the first time since the Church of England broke with the papacy in the 16^th century. Also for the first time ever, the head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church, Patriarch Abune Paulos attended a papal funeral. And in a historic rarity, Protestant and Eastern Orthodox Christian leaders, as well as leaders in Judaism, Islam and Buddhism offered memorials and prayers of their own for their congregants, in solidarity and as a way of sharing in the grief of all Catholics.

The patron of peace: He made peace with his would-be assassin the Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Agca who shot and critically wounded him in May 1981. Blessed John Paul II was also very strong in his ‘No to War’ call saying that wars generally do not resolve the problems for which they are fought but are in fact, a defeat for humanity. He termed war as the most barbarous and least effective way of resolving conflicts. In addition, he invited religious leaders to Assisi to offer prayers for peace in the world.

Patron of the sick: John Paul inspired more people in his death probably better than he did in life. In his final years, his step became halted by illness and infirmity; his speech became laboured. But his indomitable spirit touched, taught and inspired many.

Thus it is with such amazing joy that we anticipate the beatification of the pope we’ve known for such a long time. Just as he was the people’s pope in life so will he become the people’s saint in death. He interceded for the church as the successor of Peter, now he will intercede for humanity as a saint. After May 1, we shall then say, Blessed John Paul II, pray for us!