Mitt Romney rarely discusses his Mormon faith on the campaign trail, saying the race is not about his religion, but on Monday offered his perspective on Gordon B. Hinckley, president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, who died Sunday night.

"The president of my church Gordon B. Hinckley passed away last night. He was in his 97th year, I believe. We will miss him as a family, respect him as a man of great character and courage, but particularly his humility and ability to touch the lives of each individual is something for which he will long be noted. His ability also to talk to people throughout the world and to make close relationships with people in the public sector and in the media distinguish him as one of the great leaders in our faith and his effort to reach out across the world and to faraway lands and to build temples for our church is something which will also give him a legacy that will last many, many years, indeed. And we will miss his leadership," Romney said from a Florida gas station where he was also discussing a proposal by opponent, John McCain, to create a Climate Stewardship Act.

Asked about his relationship with Hinckley, Romney said he didn't know him personally until Romney took charge of planning the 2002 Winter Olympics that were held in Salt Lake City, Utah, headquarters of the Mormon church.

"Because of the Olympics' significant need for church assets, such as property next to our ski jump facility as well as a medals plaza, I got the chance to make a presentation to him and make various requests, including a request for a contribution by the church to the Olympics, so I met with him probably three or four times along with his counselors, made my requests. Most of them were approved. Some were denied.

"I was impressed by his knowledge of the detail. We asked for the ability to use a city block which the church owned which had four parking lots on it ... for us to level the parking lot and turn it into a plaza for the medals ceremonies. It would seat, as I recall, approximately 10,000 people and another 10,000 would be standing, and he turned to the other counselors that were there of his and he said, 'Arent the sewer pipes too close to the surface on that lot for them to be able to level it?' He literally was aware of the septic system for the, or not septic, the sewer system for the lot well enough to recognize that was an issue.

"He became friendly with Mike Wallace and when I saw Mike Wallace, when he interviewed me for 60 minutes he asked me if I remember President Hinckley, if I saw him. They apparently struck up a degree of mutual respect, which I think touched Mike Wallace and I know touched President Hinckley as well.

"But like millions of other members of my faith, I didnt get to know President Hinckley on a very personal one-to-one basis. Instead I knew him as a member of my church and saw him as a leader of great capacity, of great ability to reach out and touch a large number of people with a very personal and human connection. And his humility and gentleness I think will always be a part of the memory we have of President Gordon B. Hinckley."

Romney, who said he hopes to be able to attend Hinckley's funeral in Salt Lake City on Saturday, also discussed his visit with Hinckley to tell him about his decision to enter the 2008 presidential race.

" I was in Salt Lake and had the chance to go by him and see him and told him that our family was going to be thinking about running for president, and he smiled and said it would be great experience if you won and a great experience if you lost."