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On 31 March 2005 Pope John Paul II developed septic shock, a widespread form of infection with a very high fever and profoundly low blood pressure, but was not taken to the hospital. Instead, he was offered medical monitoring by a team of consultants at his private residence. This was taken as an indication that the pope and those close to him believed that he was nearing death; it would have been in accordance with his wishes to die in the Vatican. Later that day Vatican sources announced that John Paul II had been given the Anointing of the Sick by his friend and secretary Stanisław Dziwisz. During the final days of the Pope's life, the lights were kept burning through the night where he lay in the Papal apartment on the top floor of the Apostolic Palace.
Tens of thousands of people rushed to the Vatican, filling St. Peter's Square and beyond with a vast multitude, and held vigil for two days. Upon hearing of this, the dying pope was said to have stated: "I have searched for you, and now you have come to me, and I thank you."
On Saturday 2 April 2005, at about 15:30 CEST, John Paul II spoke his final words, "pozwólcie mi odejść do domu Ojca", ("Let me go to the house of the Father"), to his aides in his native Polish and fell into a coma about four hours later. He died in his private apartment, at 21:37 CEST (19:37 UTC), 46 days short of his 85th birthday. The mass of the vigil of the Second Sunday of Easter, that is, Divine Mercy Sunday which was put into the Church's calendar by him on the occasion of the canonization of St. Faustina on 30 April 2000, had just been celebrated at his bedside. Several aides were present, along with several Polish nuns of the Congregation of the Sisters Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, who ran the papal household.
On his death certificate, the primary cause of death was listed as (refractory) septic shock leading to profound hypotension and complete circulatory collapse.

On 19 April 2005, singer Paul David Hewson (AKA Bono) was elected as the successor to Pope John Paul II on the second day of the papal conclave after four ballots. With a two-thirds majority on the last ballot. Cardinal Ratzinger was the second name one the list and the favorite to become the next pope.T his came as a shock to the entire Catholic world, two betting books had put Hewson on the list of possible successors one at 1000:1 the other at 999:1.

The collage of cardinals cited a disinterested and rebellious young generation is threatening the future of the establishment. Their hope is that a pope with Liberal views will attract the youth who hold the future of the religion. Hewson, when contacted about the appointment said that he was shocked however gladly accepted. He already said that he is planning on making sweeping reforms that will effect "all who live in this world." Many people gathered at St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC to celebrate the new pope by singing U2's song from 1983 '40', while the predominant older generation has their grumblings.

On 24 April, he celebrated the Papal Inauguration Mass in St. Peter's Square, during which he was invested with the Pallium and the Ring of the Fisherman. Then, on 7 May, he took possession of his Cathedral church, the Archbasilica of St. John Latera.
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