You don’t have to be Catholic to appreciate what he has done. His involvement with interfaith relations was significant. He sought to mend relationships with Orthodox Christians and he made the first papal visit to an Orthodox country since Christendom split into East and West nearly 1,000 years ago. He was the first Pope to visit a mosque and he sought to build bridges between Christians and Jews.

He was the first Pope to visit the White House and he met with several U.S. presidents. He met with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Long before he became the Pope, he stood against communism. Former Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev said, “All that has happened in East Europe over these last few years would not have been possible without the presence of the Pope.”

He was more than the leader of one billion Catholics, he was a strong and influential leader on the world stage.

The Los Angeles Times has several excellent photo albums.

Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa.
Calcutta, India, February, 1986. (AP File Photo)