Pope Benedict marks anniversary of John Pauls II s death

The beatification of the late Polish pontiff will be celebrated at the Vatican on May 1st.Yesterday marked the sixth anniversary of the death of my beloved predecessor, the venerable John Paul II. I did not celebrate the traditional mass in his memory for his beatification will soon be celebrated, but I remembered him with love in my prayer, as I imagine you all did.While Lent is preparing us for the Easter celebrations, we are also getting closer with joy to the day in which we will revere this great pontiff as beatified, Pope Benedict said during his weekly Angelus address. John Paul died on April 2, 2005. His 27-year papacy, which began in 1978, was one of the most tumultuous of modern times. During his pontificate, Communism collapsed across eastern Europe, starting in his native Poland. Tens of thousands of Poles are expected to come to Rome for the beatification.