VATICAN CITY - Pope John Paul II, spiritual leader of the world`s 1.1 billion Roman Catholics, died on Saturday at 9:37 pm (1937 GMT), the Vatican announced.
The 84-year-old pontiff died two days after suffering heart failure brought on by two months of acute breathing problems and other infections.
"The Holy Father died this evening at 21:37 in his private apartment," said a brief statement released by the Holy See.
"All the procedures foreseen by the Apostolic Constitution `Universi Dominici gregis` promulgated by John Paul II on 22 February 1996 have been set in motion," it concluded.
The death of the Polish-born pontiff was announced to a huge crowd of pilgrims who had gathered for a vigil under John Paul II`s apartment windows in St Peter`s Square.
The dead pope`s secretary of state, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, intoned the "De Profundis", (Out of the Depths) a Latin prayer for the dead to an eerily hushed St Peter`s Square.
Then the tens of thousands in the square burst into applause to show their deeply-felt appreciation for the popular pope, spiritual leader of the world`s 1.1 billion Catholics.
Prelates outside the main door of St Peter`s Basilica invited the throng of mourners to "accompany the pope in these, his first steps to heaven."
Many dropped to their knees on the square`s cobblestones to weep and say a last prayer for their departed pope.
Maria Angela Calabrese, a Roman pensioner, broke down into tears when told of his death.
"I haven`t slept for two days since I heard the news (of his deterioration). I just kept watching television. He is looking at us from paradise."
Within minutes, bells began tolling sonorously across Rome, signalling the death of the pope to the people of his diocese after more than 26 years as leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
Sergio Righetti said he "felt a great wave of cold" when he heard the announcement on the square. "We were all prepared, but it didn`t quite seem real."
A woman sat on the base of a column holding a hand before her mouth as if nauseated by the shock.
Lucia Coccoda, a widow from the Sardinian city of Cagliari pushed through the crowd scolding herself for arriving late.
"I can`t forgive myself. I left Cagliari because I couldn`t just stay home."
News of his death touched not only Catholics from his native Poland to the Americas, from Africa to Asia, but untold numbers of other admirers of one of the most popular and recognizable popes in history.
04/02/2005 20:40 GMT