Pope John Paul II died at 8.37pm (local time) or 9.37pm Rome time. 
Soon after bells began tolling across the Italian capital Rome to
signal his passing. 

The news of his death was relayed by Archbishop Leonardo Sandri to 
the 60,000 worshippers gathered in st Peter's Square.

Archbishop Leonardo Sandri said: "Our Holy Father John Paul has
returned to the house of the Father". 

The following is the text of the statement issued by by Vatican spokesman 
Joaquín Navarro Valls, publicly announcing the death of John Paul II. 

The Holy Father died at 9:37 (2:37 EST) this evening in his private apartment. 

At 8 p.m. the celebration of Mass for Divine Mercy Sunday began in the Holy 
Father's room, presided by Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, with the participation 
of Cardinal Marian Jaworski, of Archbishop Stanislaw Rylko and of Monsignor 
Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki. 

During the course of the Mass, the Viaticum was administered to the Holy 
Father and, once again, the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. 

The Holy Father's final hours were marked by the uninterrupted prayer of 
all those who were assisting him in his pious death, and by the choral 
participation in prayer of the thousands of faithful who, for many hours, 
had been gathered in St. Peter's Square. 

Present at the moment of the death of John Paul II were: his two personal 
secretaries, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz and Monsignor Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki, 
Cardinal Marian Jaworski, Archbishop Stanislaw Rylko, Father Tadeusz Styczen, 
the three nuns, Handmaidens of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who assist in the 
Holy Father's apartment, guided by the Superior Sister Tobiana Sobódka, and 
the Pope's personal physician Dr. Renato Buzzonetti, with the two doctors on 
call, Dr. Alessandro Barelli and Dr. Ciro D'Allo, and the two nurses on call. 

Immediately afterwards the secretary of state, Cardinal Angelo Sodano arrived, 
as did the chamberlain of Holy Roman Church, Cardinal Eduardo Martínez Somalo, 
Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, substitute of the Secretariat of State, and 
Archbishop Paolo Sardi, vice-chamberlain of Holy Roman Church. 

Thereafter, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, dean of the College of Cardinals, 
and Cardinal Jozef Tomko also arrived. 

Tomorrow, Divine Mercy Sunday, at 10.30 a.m., a Mass for the repose of the 
soul of the Holy Father will be celebrated in St. Peter's Square, presided 
over by Cardinal Angelo Sodano. 

At 12 noon, the Marian prayer of Easter time, the Regina Coeli, will be recited. 

The body of the late pontiff is expected to be brought to the Vatican Basilica 
no earlier than Monday afternoon. 

The first General Congregation of Cardinals will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, 
April 4 in the Bologna Hall of the Apostolic Palace. 

ends
2 April 2005