John Paul aide may go against wish to burn papers

WARSAW - The late Pope John Paul's closest and most trusted associate said in an interview published on Saturday he may not follow the late pontiff's wish to have his personal documents burnt.

In his testament, Polish-born John Paul II asked Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, his long-time secretary, to oversee the burning of personal documents and notes he had left behind.

"First of all, everything has to be checked," Dziwisz was quoted as telling Poland's public radio in an interview.

"Secondly, nothing deserves to be burnt, but (it does deserve) to be saved and preserved for posterity," he said.

It was reported that Dziwisz, named the new archbishop of Krakow by Pope Benedict on Friday, believed John Paul's documents should first be studied, then published.

It said he felt his devotion to John Paul and his teachings outweighed his responsibility to follow the late pontiff's request to burn his personal papers.

It said Dziwisz had also written 27 volumes of his own diary about John Paul and may publish them.

Dziwisz, 66, began working with Karol Wojtyla in the 1960s when the future pope was himself archbishop of Krakow.

Throughout John Paul's nearly 27-year papacy which ended with his death in April, Dziwisz was the Pope's closest confidant and became a familiar face the world over as he accompanied the globe-trotting Pope on his many trips.

In 1981, when John Paul was shot by Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Agca, Dziwisz was by his side and held him in his arms as he was rushed from St Peter's Square to hospital. He has published a book about the assassination attempt.

- REUTERS