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Over 100,000 mourners erupted into applause as a simple wooden coffin, carrying the body of Pope John Paul II, was borne into St Peter's Square on Friday morning. The huge crowd then fell silent as the casket, which was marked with a simple cross and the letter "M" for Mary, was placed on an ornate carpet on the ground before the Basilica.
A sea of colour filled the square, with thousands of pilgrims from the pontiff's home country waving white and red Polish flags while the Cardinals, dressed in scarlet took their seats. Four kings, five queens and over 70 presidents and prime ministers also looked on as an open Book of the Gospels, it's pages ruffling in the light breeze, was placed atop the coffin.
Britain's Prince Charles and Tony Blair joined President George Bush and a host of other dignitaries for what was the largest funeral in the history of the Catholic Church. The service was led by 77-year-old Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the conservative German prelate who was one of the Pope's closest advisors and is considered a candidate to succeed the late pontiff.
In a fitting tribute to the most travelled pontiff in Vatican history, people have journeyed from all over the world for the event. An estimated 115,000 converged on St Peter's Square, where they frequently broke into applause and chanted the late pontiff's name during the Mass. Two million more filled the streets of the Italian capital to watch on giant screens. In the Pope's Polish homeland the faithful also gathered to watch the proceedings by video link.
Before the service an upbeat and celebratory mood pervaded in St Peter's Square, reflecting changes made by the Second Vatican Council. "It used to be called the Mass of the Dead and at one time was celebrated by priests in black vestments," explained one expert. "Now it's celebrated in white, and the prayers, the songs, the readings are full of joy, full of hope. There's very little of lament or requiem in it. It's a Mass of hope – a Mass of celebration."
With a roll-call of the world's most important people gathered in one place, Italian authorities launched an enormous security operation involving thousands of police officers and soldiers. Nato spyplanes and helicopter gunships were also drafted in to keep watch over the event.
On the ground, meanwhile, political adversaries put their differences to one side for the day. President Bush found himself joining representatives from Iran, while Tony Blair and Zimbabwe's controversial leader Robert Mugabe were also brought together by the event.
The most pressing problem facing organisers, however, was the sheer numbers of people who came to bid farewell to the Catholic leader. Authorities even resorted to sending text messages to every Italian mobile phone in the country asking citizens to stay away from event.
At the end of the ceremony, which lasted three hours, the Pope was carried to his final resting palce in the crypt of St Peter's. After another private service, the wooden coffin was placed inside a zinc one, which in turn was sealed in a wooden casket, before being interred. |
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