The Vatican has a sede vacante with the death of Pope John Paul II. In addition to suffering from crippling hip and knee ailments and heart and kidney failure, the pope combated health complications from Parkinson’s disease since 1996. He died of blood poisoning and the collapse of his blood vessels on April 2, at the age of 84. Parkinson’s disease is caused by the progressive loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells in the brain that affect the loss of muscle control.

The pope led the world’s 1 billion Catholics for 26 years after being elected in 1978. The first non-Italian pope since Adrian VI in 1523, John Paul II began his papacy in a flurry of controversy that grew steadily to admiration.

Although liberal Catholic commentators criticized his conservative views on women, homosexuals and contraception, it is thought that he will go down as “John Paul the Great,” as the Archbishop of Accra, Charles Palmer-Buckle, once said to Reuters.

“As a woman and medieval scholar, I continue to disagree with many of Pope John Paul II’s interpretations of Christianity and the direction he steered the church during his tenure,” said Catholic assistant professor of English Heather Hayton.

“Nonetheless, I am grateful for the role he played in affecting peaceful change in our world and am saddened by his passing.”

In addition to normal pontiff proceedings, Pope John Paul II was known for his human rights campaign in an age of controversy. According to cnn.com, he is credited for the collapse of communist rule and praised for his compassion regarding the AIDS epidemic and his ability to further bridge the 2000-year gap between Jews and Christians.

Also, a 2000 visit to the Holy Land to encourage reconciliation between Palestine and Israel marked the first papal trip there in history.

“His stamina in continuing his ministry and travel (ultimately to over 120 countries), despite increasing disease, was inspirational to those who believed in the sanctity of life,” said Kent Chabotar, practicing Catholic and college president and professor of political science. “He is clearly among the most influential and charismatic figures of the twentieth century.”

Chabotar’s words mirror the world opinion of the influence John Paul II had with Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

“The first time we met, he struck me as very practical and open, with a broad appreciation of global problems. I have no doubt that he was a great spiritual leader,” said the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, according to Reuters.

“Quakers certainly appreciated the pope’s outreach to the Two-Thirds World, his forgiveness of his would-be assassin, his encouragement of the nonviolent revolution against Soviet oppression, his support for interfaith understanding, his opposition to the death penalty and the war in Iraq, his even-handed approach to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and other gestures of peace and reconciliation.” said Max Carter, Director of the Friends Center and Campus Ministry Coordinator.

The family of Mehmet Ali Agca, the Turkish would-be assassin who wounded the pope 24 years ago, said that he is “extremely sad” over the loss of a man that he considered a brother, according to the Agence France-Presse. The family noted the pope’s act of compassion when he personally visited Agca in prison and forgave him in 1983.

The Vatican has announced that the funeral will take place on April 8 in Rome, where John Paul II will later be buried beneath St Peter’s Basilica. Over two million people are expected to make the pilgrimage to Rome for the 10 a.m. service, the largest mass of people to visit the Vatican in history, according to The Economic Times.

The new vacancy in Rome has led to obvious stress in the Catholic Church, as religious dignitaries from all over the world are faced with the task of choosing the next pope.

As per a law adopted in 1975, a conclave consisting of all eligible cardinals under the age of 80 must conduct a papal election to elect a new pope within 15 to 20 days after the pope’s death. The 117 eligible cardinals will assemble April 18 to decide who will become the 265th successor to St Peter.

Many critics think it virtually impossible that one of the 11 American cardinals will be nominated as the next pope, even as the second-largest national group of cardinals in the Church after the Italians.

“(An American pope) would probably be viewed as yet another American attempt at dominating major world institutions,” said Erin Burns, GCRO clerk. “But I think it’s very unlikely. I’m holding out for a Nigerian pope right now, Cardinal Francis Arinze.”

Other candidates for papacy include: Camillo Ruini, Jan Schotte, Lucas Moreira Neves, Dionigi Tettamanzi, Pio Laghi, Christoph Schoenborn, Bernardin Gantin, Joseph Ratzinger, Carlo Maria Martini, Roger Etchegaray, Jean-Marie Lustiger.

Time and time again Guilford students have noted how important this death is to the world.

“It’s strange to think of anyone else being pope, since John Paul II held the office for my entire life,” said Burns.

“(For) the people in our age group, when they think of the pope they think of John Paul II,” said senior Dan Whitley, who converted to Catholicism a week before the pope’s death.

“I was really happy to get a rosary that was blessed by (John Paul II) – it’s something I’ll always cherish,” he said.