John Paul II, the first non-Italian pope for 400 years, has transformed the papacy. In contrast to most of his predecessors, who never emerged from behind the walls of the Vatican, he travelled abroad more than 100 times, addressed countless millions at open-air masses and on television and became the most famous and recognisable religious leader in the world.

Continue story @ http://www.guardian.co.uk/pope/story/0,12272,1451329,00.html

Source: Guardian Unlimited