Catholics mourn 'much loved' Pope

He was the first Polish pontiff and the youngest of the 20th Century

Catholics across the South are mourning the death of Pope John Paul II.

The pontiff's health had deteriorated during the night, as he suffered high fever from an infection, septic shock and heart failure.

Bishop of Portsmouth Crispian Hollis said: "We've been saddened by the loss of a much loved and familiar figure in the life of our church.

"My message is that we must give thanks for a wonderful life of service to the church."

I think above all Pope John Paul II was a very human person and he embodied all sorts of things about humanity Father Oliver Holt

John Antell, the former mayor of Dorchester in Dorset, and a long-standing member of the county's Catholic community, said he "like others, was greatly saddened by the Pope's death".

Father Oliver Holt, from Douai Abbey in West Berkshire, said the key to Pope John Paul II's popularity was his "ability to relate to ordinary people".

He said: "I think that human nature hasn't changed a great deal over the last couple of thousand years and that some things just remain the same.

"I think above all Pope John Paul II was a very human person and he embodied all sorts of things about humanity particularly in his last few weeks, or even few years."

A number of special church services were due to be held throughout Sunday.

A requiem mass was expected to be held on Friday, 8 April at Portsmouth's Catholic cathedral.

The Pope died at 2137 (1937 GMT), the Vatican said.

Oxford Oratory Church in Oxfordshire has scheduled special prayers for the pontiff at both its Sunday masses.

The church will also be holding a solemn requiem at 1830 BST on Tuesday.