Pope John Paul II's May 1 beatification in the Vatican will be filmed with 3D television cameras. It will be the first time in the history of the Church that a liturgical celebration with the Holy Father is filmed with this technology.

The Vatican has set up an internet facility for Catholic media, enabling them to have free access to photographs of John Paul II's beatification.

He spent many intense days working together with John Paul II, sleepless nights en route to the most remote countries, travelling with him on numerous Visits. He shared the same passion for the mountains and the same yearning for the freedom of peoples, he participated in his missionary concern, as a close collaborator prior to the Synod of Bishops, then as Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. Cardinal Jozef Tomko is a valuable and clear witness of the Pontificate of Karol Wojtyła. In this interview he retraces the main stages of his friendship with the Polish Pontiff. The following is a translation, which was given in Italian.

According to the pilot of the papal helicopter, Pope John Paul II was "the ideal passenger," never showing "concrete worries or fears." For some 20 years, Colonel Antonio Berardo had the task of flying the Polish Pontiff around Italy.