Cardinal John Baptist Wu Cheng-chung's dying wish was for Hong Kong to become more prosperous and stable.
Cardinal Wu, 77, died at Queen Mary Hospital at 7.05am yesterday after a six-year battle with diabetes and terminal bone-marrow cancer.
The outspoken Bishop Joseph Zen Ze-kiun takes over as the head of the Catholic Church in Hong Kong.
In a statement last night, Pope John Paul expressed his heartfelt condolences and paid tribute to Cardinal Wu's 'life-long dedicated service' and his 'fruitful and untiring co-operation with the Holy See and me personally'.
As preparations began for a week of mourning, Hong Kong Catholic Social Communications Office director Father Louis Ha Ke-loong recounted the last words of Cardinal Wu.
'He had two wishes: For God to bless Catholics and for the Church to continue to develop; and for Hong Kong to overcome these difficult times and become more prosperous and stable,' Father Ha said.
Bishop Zen, designated successor since 1996, took over the top cleric post two days after his attacks on Hong Kong 'toadying political culture' in an interview with the Sunday Morning Post.