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The Pope Marks 25 Years

Thousands of Roman Catholics helped Pope John Paul II celebrate a big day last week. October 16 marked his 25th anniversary as the leader of the world's 1 billion Roman Catholics.

In recent weeks, many have been concerned about the pope's declining health. John Paul, 83, suffers from Parkinson's disease, a brain disorder that affects muscles and balance. The pope has said that he has no plans to resign.

John Paul, who was born in Poland, has traveled to more than 125 countries to promote peace. "He is truly the global pope," says Christoph Cardinal Schoenborn of Vienna, Austria. Many say the pope helped to end communist rule in Eastern Europe. He also worked to heal divisions between Christians and Jews.

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