Overall, the visit remained a stirring culmination of the pope’s groundbreaking efforts during his 22-year papacy to reconcile the divergences between Jews and Christians. In addition to his lifelong devotion to the study of theology, John Paul II is proficient in Italian, English, Spanish, French, German, Latin, and his native Polish. He is the author of numerous best selling works, including Pilgrimage of Peace (1980), A Year with Mary (1986), and The Jeweler’s Shop (1992). When not touring, he holds his daily morning service in St. Peter’s Square, and continues his devotion to spreading the word—the “single truth,” as he refers to it—of God. Once a vigorous and athletic man, the elderly pope now suffers from Parkinson’s disease, a condition that slurs his speech and causes him to shake uncontrollably. He walks with a shuffling limp and often has to be escorted or even pushed in a cart; and it is rumored that in recent years, he has been fighting cancer. In spite of his physical concerns, however—particularly those concerning his retirement—John Paul II maintains a tenacious grip on the papacy and continues to believe in the divine importance of his role as the arbiter of Christian faith and the uncompromising voice of God.