Every April 2nd, the Catholic Church commemorates another anniversary of the passing of Saint John Paul II, the pilgrim pope who became one of the most influential leaders of the 20th century. He was declared “santo súbito” (a saint immediately) by the faithful on the day of his death and during his funeral. Saint John Paul II’s pontificate is the third longest in the more than 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church, as he remained on the Chair of Saint Peter for 26 years and 5 months. | ROME