The leader of Scotland's Catholics has said that Pope John Paul II appears ready to hand himself over to God.
Cardinal Keith O'Brien spoke on Friday morning shortly after the Vatican announced that the Polish-born pontiff had been given the last rites.
The Edinburgh-based clergyman cancelled his planned annual holiday to the US after seeing how frail the Pope was.
Cardinal O'Brien said: "There is sadness by very many people, not just by Roman Catholics."
In October 2003, Cardinal O'Brien became only the third Scottish Roman Catholic priest to be presented with the red biretta since the Reformation.
He was one of 31 new appointments to the College of Cardinals.
"He has been a powerful man and the most physically active Pope we can remember in recent history and he is just waiting patiently for God to call him"
At the time it was viewed as the Pope's last opportunity to influence the powerful body which will elect his successor when he dies.
Cardinal O'Brien told BBC Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme that many people had been touched by events in Rome.
He added: "The Pope has kept going on, on Easter Sunday and then on Tuesday this week when he appeared at the window of his private apartments trying to give his blessing.
"He was just able to make the sign of the cross, not able to speak words but trying to assure the people watching all over the world that he was with them and appealing for the support of their prayers in his last illness."
'A great man'
Cardinal O'Brien believed the fact the Pope had remained in his own private apartments and not been transferred to hospital was a sign that he was ready to hand himself over to the will of God.
He added: "The Pope has made his peace with God and is just tranquilly waiting for God to call him, if that is God's will.
"I think he has and still is having a tremendous influence not only on Catholics but all people by the way he has lived his life and the effect he has had on a lot of countries, particularly of course in East European countries, having come from Poland himself.
"My thought is that he is still a great man he has influenced very many people throughout the world and still is just by the way he is getting ready to pass over to the Almighty God if that is God's will.
"There have been many, many Popes throughout history but this one will be remembered as Pope John Paul the Great"
"He has been a powerful man and the most physically active Pope we can remember in recent history and he is just waiting patiently for God to call him."
Prayers were being said in Catholic churches and schools across Scotland on Friday.
The businessman and leading Scottish Catholic, Sir Tom Farmer spoke of the Pope's legacy as he arrived for a lunchtime mass at Edinburgh's St Mary's Cathedral.
He said the Pope would be remembered "for the respect he commanded, his influence on world affairs - particularly eastern Europe - and his fight against social injustice".
He added: "There have been many, many Popes throughout history but this one will be remembered as Pope John Paul the Great".
Another worshipper agreed with Sir Tom's sentiments and said John Paul II was the greatest Pope there had ever been. "How can they replace him?" she asked.
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