It’s exodus time for the media. If you’re not doing a stand-up from St. Peter’s at this very moment, you are just not a serious media personality. See Art Johnson’s media column in the latest THIS Magazine for insight into the pack mentality now on display to honour one of the last great vestiges of medievalism in our world (and I say that as someone who likes medievalism).

My favorite media memes from the last three days:

“Whoever the next Pope is, he will have some pretty big shoes to fill.”

”…and yet this tired, sickly old man was such an inspiration to youth throughout the world.”

“Of course, he is beloved in Eastern Europe as one of the architects of the fall of Communism.”

To cut through the next few days of e-Talk Daily Pope Funeral coverage, view Frank Bruni’s audio-visual wrap up on John Paul II. Bruni is former Rome Bureau Chief for The New York Times. He knows his stuff. He takes the long view.