The papal office has never had such good publicity. Two billion people—a third of the world’s population—watched Pope John Paul ii’s funeral on April 8.

Two hundred of the world’s political and spiritual leaders attended the funeral from 100 nations. Bush, Khatami, Annan, Abdullah, Mugabe, Blair, Chirac and of course the entire Roman Catholic hierarchy—never before had such a sampling of world leaders assembled in one place. Orthodox, Ecumenical and Anglican spiritual leaders, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Israeli Chief Rabbinate General Secretary Oded Viner were also in attendance.

The media’s response abroad was also unprecedented. Big screens were erected in capitals and major cities across Europe and live, uninterrupted coverage disrupted regularly scheduled programs globally, including live coverage of the mass on pan-Arab news channels. “Roman Catholicism never looked so universal,” one Reuters reporter observed.

This was the biggest funeral in the history of man—and the biggest media event ever. There has never been anything like it in world history.

Why?

There is a tremendous reason that most people do not understand.

I believe the pope’s death will prove to be agiant turning point in world events!

Why have people been so universally supportive of this man? Why has the press been so effusive in its praise? I have never seen the media promote anything so heavily. In the U.S., even the liberals in the media are calling the pope “holy father” and treating him like a saint. I have been shocked at how shallow their coverage has been. One news commentator actually rebuked viewers who were critical of the “wall-to-wall coverage” of the pope’s death. He said that everybody should be watching it regardless of their religion. That is highly unusual.

While the pope was alive, there were many critics of the pope’s policies and pronouncements. They have all been silent as the world has flooded the Vatican with support and unmitigated praise.

Have people completely forgotten the dark history of this ancient institution?

Within a couple of weeks, there will be a new pope on the scene. The whole world is fixating on that office as never before. This man will assume control of the largest church in the world, with 1.1 billion followers.

This world is about to meet the most powerful religious leader history has ever produced.

You can be sure that, as conservative as John Paul ii was, the next pope will be even more so. John Paul ii personally selected all but three of the cardinals who will elect his successor. He was a conservative thinker who made sure that the next pope would share his views. Anyone who believes the next one will be a liberal is terribly naïve.

In recent years, even some Vatican watchers have expressed fear that the next pope would take the church further to the right.

We are about to see how justifiable their fears were.

On the surface, you can see why so many commentators might look upon John Paul ii as a “good” pope. But even the shallowest observer would have to acknowledge the Vatican’s well-documented track record: It’s had more than its share of corrupt popes.

John Paul ii positioned the church to play a stronger role in European affairs. This church-state association between the Vatican and Europe has been resurrected several times throughout history—with some very dastardly and bloody results.

The next pope is going to strengthen this church-state bond. In fact, he will come to actually guide European affairs in a powerful way! European leaders will soon realize that if they want to be in power, they will have to gain the support of the pope. They will actually become subservient to him. This is what the Bible prophesies.

This infusion of religion into European affairs is the missing ingredient that will vault the continent to superpower prominence. We are about to see world events accelerate toward cataclysm faster than ever.

But, as the saying goes, it is always darkest just before the dawn. If we believe the prophecies of the Bible, we know this is all a prelude to the greatest event in the history of the Universe: the return of Jesus Christ to this Earth!