THE impact of the death of Pope John Paul II has been observed throughout the world since he passed away last Saturday night. International media coverage has shown hundreds of thousands of mourners pouring into St Peter's Square in Rome to pay their respects. On a smaller scale, the news has had a huge impact on the people of Bordon. Catholics and non-Catholics alike have been paying tributes to a man they considered an "inspiration" and almost "like a member of the family". The Right Reverend Christopher Hill, Bishop of Guildford, commented: "I met Pope John Paul II in the quite early stages of his Pontificate. I first joined him in Accra, Ghana, and met him on his great ecumenical visit to the UK and in India too. Most extensively, during one visit to Rome with Archbishop Runcie, I was in his company for several days - one of which included a very cheerful lunch. Under those circumstances I saw him at his most human: indeed I saw him as a man. "He was a world and history class of leader. I would obviously not be without my criticisms but I see him, for example, as very significant in the process that ended the Cold War. In terms of world history I see him as the focus of the collapse of the Iron Curtain. He continued: "Although he faced criticism for his conservatism and his attitude, for example, towards contraception and clerical celibacy, I believe he saw himself as needing to be properly loyal to the teaching of the Catholic Church as he understood it. He had to be a loyal servant to what the Roman Catholic Church stood for and although Christians of many traditions - and indeed other Catholics - were critical of some of the stands he made, I admired his courage. "He was a Pope who had fought in a war; he was also a Pope with a penchant for travel. Pope Paul VI was the first great travelling Pope, but John Paul II ventured all over the world in the service of the Gospel and in doing so, contributed much to ecumenical harmony." He concluded: "He encouraged not just Catholics but the Christian Church everywhere." Reverend Eddie Richer of the Church of The Sacred Heart in Bordon and St Joseph's in Grayshott said: "I am astonished by the amount of coverage in the media. It is all the more amazing when you consider that he died long past his best - he wasn't in his prime and it wasn't a shock." He continued: "I think the key to it is that he was close to ordinary people. He was able to communicate man to man and people latched on to that. I can't think of any other spiritual leader who engineered the overthrow of a government in collaboration with an electrician. "He was a great one for taking children into his arms, all over the world. He wasn't like a politician kissing babies to win votes for an upcoming election. You sensed that the Pope revered the children in his hands and genuinely valued them. I think that has registered with the people and it is why he will be so missed. He will be a very hard act to follow." One of the congregation at the Church of the Sacred Heart agreed: "Everyone feels as if they've lost a friend. He had a place in his heart for everyone and his magnetism splayed over. He was very intelligent - he spoke so many languages, he was a sportsman and actor and had great charisma. He treated people as people. You felt as if he could have been part of your own family." Reverend Doctor Michael Semple of the All Saints' Church in Headley said: "The Pope was a remarkable man who showed the Christian faith in a very practical way. He inspired a lot of people, not just Roman Catholics. We said prayers for him on Sunday and our flag will fly at half-mast until Friday." Reverend Deborah Scott-Bromley of St Mark's Shared Church in Bordon also agreed. "His Holiness was a man of God who took the gospel to the world. We may not agree with all he stood for, but his sincerity and passion could not be denied and the Church is the poorer for his passing." A mass was scheduled to pray for the repose of the Pope's soul, yesterday (Thursday), at the Church of The Sacred Heart, at 7-30 pm.