The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Basil Hume - "a man who combined great spirituality with the warmest humanity" - died last night in London.
Despite having been diagnosed with inoperable abdominal cancer in mid-April, the Cardinal (76) had defiantly hoped to see in the new Millennium. But a statement from Archbishop's House, Westminster, confirmed he had died in the presence of a nephew, his private secretary and a nurse at the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth in London at 5.20 p.m.
The statement said: "The Cardinal had just been anointed and they were praying with him when he died peacefully and without pain. In his last few days the Cardinal had weakened considerably but he remained calm and at peace throughout."
The Mass this evening at 5.30 p.m. at Westminster Cathedral will be offered for the repose of his soul.
Queen Elizabeth - who had acknowledged the role of the Catholic community in the life of the nation by taking Vespers in Westminster Cathedral in 1995 - led the tributes. A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said: "The Queen is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Cardinal Hume, whom she will remember for his outstanding contribution to the Christian life of this country."
The Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, said: "He was goodness personified, a true holy man with extraordinary humility and an unswerving dedication. He did much to inspire people of all faiths, and none. He made an incalculable contribution to the Catholic Church. Around the world there are people who will miss him deeply and remember him for the extraordinary good that he did."
And the Archbishop of Canterbury said he had learned of Cardinal Hume's death with profound sadness: "We worked together very closely and productively for many years," Dr George Carey said, "and throughout that time my respect, admiration and affection for him have grown. I especially value his personal commitment to bringing our Christian communities and traditions closer to one another. He was rightly held in high regard for the leadership he gave the Roman Catholic Church and for his dedication to the cause of ecumenism.
"Although he had not been well for some time, Cardinal Hume bore his final illness with a courage, dignity and acceptance which were typical of the man we knew, loved and respected."
It was the Church of England's vote for the ordination of women in 1992, prompting thousands of Anglo-Catholics to turn to Rome, which presented one of the toughest tests of his leadership. Cardinal Hume dealt with the situation by accepting married clergymen into the otherwise celibate priesthood while always remaining at pains to do nothing to wound the Anglican Church.
The shadow Home Secretary, Ms Ann Widdecombe, who converted to Catholicism in 1993 over the issue, said last night: "I was very privileged to know the Cardinal and he was instrumental in my decision. His death is a very sad loss to Roman Catholicism."
The chairman of the Conservative Party, Mr Michael Ancram, a former Northern Ireland Minister, said: "Cardinal Hume was a man who combined great spirituality with the warmest humanity. He was a leader who led by example, a friend who always left his friends feeling better, and a stalwart in the fight against injustice. He was loved by his friends and respected by all who knew him. He will be missed by people of all religions."
Speaking later on Channel Four News, Mr Ancram recalled "the warmth of the man" who had taught him as a schoolboy. "He was a great friend, he had a tremendous sense of humour. He was a great sportsman, a great rugby player; he played squash for many years of his life. He was someone who lived life to the full and lived it in a very Christian way."
Northern Ireland was, of course, an area which brought the Cardinal into seeming conflict with fellow church leaders. Shortly after her election in 1979, it was widely reported in England that Mrs Margaret Thatcher had attempted to block the appointment of Cardinal Tomas O Fiaich through the good offices of Cardinal Hume. And tensions would later develop between Cardinal O Fiaich, Bishop Edward Daly and himself over the IRA hunger-strikes. Cardinal Hume issued a pastoral letter describing hunger strikes as "a form of violence".
And an ally from Ampleforth, Alberic Stacpoole, subsequently criticised their relatives for stiffening the resolve of the hunger strikers. However, the Cardinal was also involved in the high-profile campaign on behalf of the Guildford Four.
Cardinal Thomas Winning, the leader of Scotland's Catholics, said: "This is a sad day, not only for the Catholic community in England and Wales but for people of all faiths - and none - throughout the United Kingdom. Cardinal Hume has been an inspirational figure since becoming Archbishop of Westminster more than 20 years ago. My admiration for him grew deeper in his final months as he faced death with such serenity and trust in God. His was a unique combination of holiness, wisdom and pastoral sensitivity. He was a well-loved shepherd, equally at home in the company of princesses and paupers."
The editor of the Catholic Herald, Dr William Oddie, said Catholics across the country would feel "sunk" by the news. The Cardinal, he said, had brought the Church into the mainstream of British life and held it together during a "tempestuous" time.
"The difference he made was that before Cardinal Hume, Catholics were really thought to be on the fringes of English society. Catholics were either seen as foreign or disloyal but he brought Catholics into the mainstream of English life. He took away that sense of the exotic. He was simply an English gentleman in the proper sense of the word, that he cause no pain. There can be no question of replacing him because he was irreplaceable."