Island mourns the Pope

Monday 4th April 2005, 12:00AM BST.

THOUSANDS of Islanders remembered Pope John Paul II in their prayers yesterday as services of all denominations paused to pay tribute to the late Pontiff.

Congregations at Roman Catholic masses swelled, while Church of England and Methodist services also included the spiritual leader in their prayers.

The Island’s Polish community, who are mourning the loss of their ‘greatest Pole’, are to have a special mass this coming Sunday at 7 pm, while an Islandwide service of remembrance was held St Matthew’s Church, St Peter, yesterday afternoon.

A book of remembrance was opened today at St Thomas’s Roman Catholic Church.

It is available for anyone to write his or her own reflections and prayers.

Following the Pope’s death on Saturday evening, St Thomas’s Church was opened until 1 am as a steady stream of people descended on the church to pray and mourn the loss of the Pope.

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