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Rediff.com  » News » Pope considered resigning in 2000

Pope considered resigning in 2000

Last updated on: April 07, 2005 21:01 IST
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Pope John Paul IIĀ  was contemplating resigning from Papacy in 2000, his testament released on Thursday revealed.

The Pope passed away on April 2. He was suffering from Parkinson's disease and some other ailments.

The Pontiff wrote his testament in Polish. He began writing it in 1979. He has said he reviewed it each Lenten season.

Complete Coverage: The Pontiff passes on

The initial entries are about his family.

The Pope's parents, brother and sister died early in his life. His infant sister died before he was born; his brother died when he was 9, his mother when he was 12 and father when he was 21.

The Pope wrote that he left no material possessions behind. He asked that his personal records be burned. Other than his family, he mentioned only two people -- his personal secretary, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, and the former chief rabbi of Rome, Elio Toaff.

The Vatican, which provided an Italian translation of the document, has promised copies in other languages later.

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