Millions gather for Pope’s funeral
St Peter’s Square in Rome was packed full of hundreds of thousands of mourners saying their final farewells to Pope John Paul II, this morning.
The Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie, Prince Charles and US president George Bush were among the hundreds of dignitaries who sat at the front of the square to watch the requiem mass.
Behind them, thousands of pilgrims from all over the world struggled for a glimpse of the modest wooden coffin lying on the altar in front of St Peter’s Basilica.
As many as five million people have made their way to the Vatican to pay their respects to the Polish-born Pope since he died on Saturday evening at the age of 84.
Known as the ‘Great Communicator’, the Pope travelled all over the world in his efforts to relieve the plight of poorest and neediest. They returned the favour this week by boarding every train, plane and bus available to pay homage to him.
Those who could not make it into St Peter’s Square watched the ceremony on giant video screens set up around the city. Hundreds of thousands also gathered together in the Polish city of Krakow to watch their former archbishop be carried into the Vatican crypt.
Before the public service, a private mass was held inside the basilica during which a white silk cloth was place over the Pope’s face and medals imprinted with the dates of his 26-year pontificate were put inside the coffin.
The Pope left the decision about where he would be buried to the College of Cardinals, although he made it clear his burial should take place “in bare earth” rather than a tomb.
He has now been laid in a grotto beneath the basilica, near where St Peter himself was buried, leaving behind him the fraught question of who will carry on his legacy.
With all but two of the 117 cardinals charged with choosing his successor owing their appointments to the late Pope, it is likely that the next pontiff will continue his strong line on contraception, abortion and female priests.
Whether he will be able to inspire the sort of devotion shown over the past week, which has seen pilgrims queuing for hours just to see his body lying in state, remains to be seen.
