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Polish cardinal, friend of Pope JPII, dies

PR dla Zagranicy
Paweł Kononczuk 02.08.2016 11:26
Polish Cardinal Franciszek Macharski, a close friend of the late Pope John Paul II, has died at the age of 89, church officials said on Tuesday.
Cardinal Franciszek Macharski, archive picture from 2008. Photo: PAP/Jacek BednarczykCardinal Franciszek Macharski, archive picture from 2008. Photo: PAP/Jacek Bednarczyk

Cardinal Macharski, one of the most prominent figures of the Polish Roman-Catholic church in the 20th century and well into the 21st, was archbishop of the southern city of Kraków from 1979 to 2005.

He died in hospital, where he had been taken after he lost consciousness and was injured in a fall in his apartment.

During a visit to Poland for World Youth Day last week, Pope Francis made an unannounced stop at the University Hospital in Kraków to talk to doctors caring for the cardinal.

His funeral will take place on Friday at 11am at Kraków’s Wawel Cathedral.

In a tribute on Twitter, Polish President Andrzej Duda wrote: "A huge loss. Cardinal Franciszek Macharski has died, a great Pole, a distinguished man of the Church. RIP."

Numerous other tributes to the cardinal have been flowing in.

“Always at the disposal of God and people,” said Bishop Jan Szkodoń.

“A man of wisdom, distance and profound faith,” added Bishop Grzegorz Ryś.

(pk)

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