Foreign minister praises Pope John Paul II

Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg said in an interview with the daily Lidové noviny that without Pope John Paul II, the fall of the communist regime would not have been possible. The minister, who is of Catholic faith, said that Pope John Paul II was an important figure both within the catholic church and the secular world, adding that because John Paul II also lived under communism, he had an understanding of the reality of life in a totalitarian regime. On Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI beatified his predecesor Pope John Paul II, who died in 2005. Over 200,000 Catholics watched the ceremony in Vatican City. Beatification is the last step on the road to sainthood, though not all those who are beatified are finally canonized

Author: Sarah Borufka