In a ritual that has not been altered for centuries, bells tolled mournfully in the Vatican to mark the demise of the 84-year-old pontiff. They were soon being echoed by bells all over Rome.

The death, at 9.37pm local time, was confirmed by the Spanish cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo, the papal chamberlain, and announced within minutes by Joaquin Navarro-Valls, the Pope's official spokesman, who distributed the news to journalists via e-mail.

A formal announcement that followed from Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, the Vatican's undersecretary of state, was heard in silence by 70,000 in the square. "Our Holy Father, John Paul, has returned to the house of the Father," he said. "We all feel like orphans this evening."

Some of the crowd then broke into applause for the life of the Pope; others sobbed uncontrollably at his passing.

As the end approached, history's best travelled and third longest serving pontiff had urged his followers not to cry for him by dictating a message to his secretary.

"I am happy and you should be happy too," he said. "Do not weep. Let us pray together with joy."

His last moments were described early today by Father Jarek Cielecki, director of Vatican Service News, a Catholic TV channel. "The Holy Father died looking towards the window as he prayed, and that shows that in some way he was conscious," Cielecki said.

"A short while before dying, the Pope raised his right hand in a clear, although simply hinted at, gesture of blessing, as if he became aware of the crowd of faithful present in St Peter's Square, who in those moments were following the reciting of the Rosary," he added.

"Just after the prayer ended, the Pope made a huge effort and pronounced the word 'Amen'. A moment later, he died."

The official spokesman said the Last Rites had been administered again during a mass that began at 8pm. Fourteen people were present in the room as he died, including Archbishop Stanislao Dziwisz, his personal secretary, who had been with him for 40 years.

According to an unofficial report, the Pope died holding the archbishop's hand.

The chamberlain followed the prescribed ritual of calling the Pope's baptismal name, Karol, three times, ostensibly to make certain of his death. Another official pulled the Fisherman's Ring, symbol of papal power, from his finger.

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