Sydney may not have seen Pope John Paul II face to face for more than a decade, but Archbishop Peter Jensen says his presence has been felt the world over.

Australia’s recent familiarity with the presence of the 84 year old Pontiff was limited to a papal visit in 1986 and the beatification of Mary McKillop in 1995, but the effect of his papacy has been profound.

"We are fortunate to have lived during the time of one of the great men of history," Archbishop Jensen told ABC Radio today.

Despite the obvious differences in theology, the leader of the Sydney Diocese says he was personally challenged by the Pope's stand on human rights issues, particularly the sanctity of human life.

"He encouraged me to be willing to be strong even if the culture is moving in a different direction," Archbishop Jensen says.

“His courageous stand in all sorts of issues which were unpopular, but I believe to be true, will be proved right in the end. Of course he made mistakes but he has stood for transcendance in a time when we needed it.”

However print media descriptions of the late Pontiff as the builder of "a bridge between humanity and God' have been labelled somewhat extravagant and unlikely to be agree with even Roman Catholic theology.

"Jesus Christ is the sole bridge between God and man," Archbishop Jensen told interviewer Stephen Crittenden.

The Archbishop's statement on the death of Pope John Paul II is posted under Media Releases at Sydneyanglicans.net.

Pope John Paul II, the first non-Italian Pope in 456 years, will lie in state in the Clementina Hall in the Vatican before being interred in St. Peter's or possibly Krakow's cathedral in his Polish homeland.

Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church will meet today to begin the arduous task of preparing for the conclave that will select the new spiritual leader for one billion believers world wide.