The news of the pope's death was confirmed in a short statement by State Secretary Angelo Sodano, who announced before numerous believers gathered in St. Peter's Square that the pope had died. Sodano said a short prayer, with more than 50,000 people in the square bursting into tears.
The Holy See's press secretary, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, said in a statement that the procedures outlined in the apostolic Constitution "Universi Dominici Gregis' that was written by John Paul II on Feb. 22, 1996, had been put in motion.
The government of the Church is now taken over by Cardinal Camerlengo Eduardo Martinez Somalo, who is to prepare the conclave at which a new pope will be elected. The Dean of the College of Cardinals, Jozeph Ratzinger, is expected to convene the conclave.
The 117 cardinals who have the right to elect the pope will meet in Rome soon and they are expected to start the election procedure within 15 to 20 days at the most. Pope John Paul II is expected to be buried in four to six days.
It is believed that the pope will be laid to rest in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome unless he stated otherwise in his testament.
The news of the pope's death was announced after a vigil prayer which started at 2100 hours and was attended by some 60,000 people.