"Requiescant in Pace"
Pope John Paul II passed away at 21:37 local time (1937 GMT) on Saturday, aged 84. He was watched by his closest aides. All through Saturday thousands of people gathered in St Peter's Square praying and paying tribute to the third-longest serving Pope in history.
His death will be marked with nine days of official mourning in the city state of the Vatican. His body was laid out on a plinth in the Vatican palace's Clementine Hall. On Monday, his body will be taken to St Peter's Basilica for a public viewing. More than 2 million people, including numerous heads of states, are expected to visit Rome to pay their respects.
The Pope's last message to the pilgrims said: "Love converts hearts and gives peace."
