Post by musicradio77 on Apr 3, 2005 18:57:20 GMT -5
From MSNBC website:
World Mourns as Pope’s Body Lies in State
Cardinals meet Monday to set funeral date
VATICAN CITY - Finally at rest after years of debilitating disease, Pope John Paul II’s body lay in state Sunday, his hands clutching a rosary, his pastoral staff under his arm. Millions prayed and wept at services across the globe, as the Vatican prepared for the ritual-filled funeral and conclave that will choose a successor.
Vatican television gave the world its first glimpse of the late pontiff since his last public appearance Wednesday, his body dressed in crimson vestments, his head covered with a white bishop’s miter.
In the Apostolic Palace’s Clementine Hall, two Swiss guards stood at attention on either side of the pope’s body, which was placed in front of a fireplace adorned with the Vatican coat of arms, a crucifix at one side and an ornate candle burning on the other.
Outside, in St. Peter's square, the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, celebrated a Mass for the repose of the pope's soul, calling on the faithful to pray for "our beloved John Paul."
An estimated 100,000 people turned out for the Mass and thousands more — tourists, Romans, young and old — kept coming throughout the day, filling the broad boulevard leading to St. Peter’s Basilica. They clutched rosaries and newspaper photos of the late pontiff as they stood shoulder-to-shoulder in prayer.
“Even if we fear we’ve lost a point of reference, I feel like everybody in this square is united with him in a hug,” said Luca Ghizzardi, a 38-year-old nurse with a sleeping bag and a handmade peace flag at his feet.
Setting a Date for a Funeral
The pontiff’s body was displayed Sunday for officials of the Roman Curia, authorities and the diplomatic corps.
His body will be moved to St. Peter's Basilica on Monday afternoon for public viewing, and Rome was preparing for up to 2 million pilgrims to pay their respects or attend John Paul's funeral.
The city was arranging security measures, as well as thousands of beds, water supplies, medical assistance and bus shuttles. “For us, it will be an extraordinary challenge,” Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni said Sunday.
The exacting timing of the pope's funeral had yet to be decided, but it must be held between Wednesday and Friday. The College of Cardinals was to choose a day on Monday morning in its first gathering before a secret election to be held later this month to choose a new pope.
The Vatican has declined to say whether John Paul left instructions for his funeral or burial. Most popes in recent centuries have asked to be buried in the crypts below St. Peter’s Basilica, but some have suggested the first Polish-born pope might have chosen to be laid to rest in his native country.
John Paul died Saturday evening at 84 after suffering heart and kidney failure following two hospitalizations in as many months.
The Vatican released the pontiff’s official death certificate Sunday, saying he died of septic shock and an irreversible cardio-circulatory collapse and listing the ailments he suffered from, including the official acknowledgment that the pope had Parkinson’s disease.
Golden Pillows
In Clementine Hall, John Paul’s head rested on several golden pillows, and a rosary was placed in his folded hands. His pastoral staff was tucked under his left arm. His feet were clad in soft brown leather shoes, the same kind of shoes he almost always wore even in major ceremonies.
The hall is a large, 17th-century salon covered by frescoes and located near the papal apartment where John Paul died. He often used the hall for audiences with world leaders.
A colossal chandelier with a green patina hangs from the center of the rounded ceiling, which includes images of angels reaching for the Holy Spirit represented as a white dove.
Prelates and Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi were among those who stood in line to pay their respects. John Paul’s longtime personal secretary, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, sat in prayer in a pew and then greeted prelates and dignitaries. At times he was seen wiping tears from his eyes.
The top Vatican officials in attendance included the close papal aide Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, American Cardinal Edmund Szoka, Polish nuns and the pontiff’s personal doctor. Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the late pope’s vicar for Rome, prayed on his knees by the pope’s body.
The Vatican Swiss Guards also lined up to pay their respects, removing their plumed helmets before kneeling and praying before the pope’s body.
World Mourns as Pope’s Body Lies in State
Cardinals meet Monday to set funeral date
VATICAN CITY - Finally at rest after years of debilitating disease, Pope John Paul II’s body lay in state Sunday, his hands clutching a rosary, his pastoral staff under his arm. Millions prayed and wept at services across the globe, as the Vatican prepared for the ritual-filled funeral and conclave that will choose a successor.
Vatican television gave the world its first glimpse of the late pontiff since his last public appearance Wednesday, his body dressed in crimson vestments, his head covered with a white bishop’s miter.
In the Apostolic Palace’s Clementine Hall, two Swiss guards stood at attention on either side of the pope’s body, which was placed in front of a fireplace adorned with the Vatican coat of arms, a crucifix at one side and an ornate candle burning on the other.
Outside, in St. Peter's square, the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, celebrated a Mass for the repose of the pope's soul, calling on the faithful to pray for "our beloved John Paul."
An estimated 100,000 people turned out for the Mass and thousands more — tourists, Romans, young and old — kept coming throughout the day, filling the broad boulevard leading to St. Peter’s Basilica. They clutched rosaries and newspaper photos of the late pontiff as they stood shoulder-to-shoulder in prayer.
“Even if we fear we’ve lost a point of reference, I feel like everybody in this square is united with him in a hug,” said Luca Ghizzardi, a 38-year-old nurse with a sleeping bag and a handmade peace flag at his feet.
Setting a Date for a Funeral
The pontiff’s body was displayed Sunday for officials of the Roman Curia, authorities and the diplomatic corps.
His body will be moved to St. Peter's Basilica on Monday afternoon for public viewing, and Rome was preparing for up to 2 million pilgrims to pay their respects or attend John Paul's funeral.
The city was arranging security measures, as well as thousands of beds, water supplies, medical assistance and bus shuttles. “For us, it will be an extraordinary challenge,” Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni said Sunday.
The exacting timing of the pope's funeral had yet to be decided, but it must be held between Wednesday and Friday. The College of Cardinals was to choose a day on Monday morning in its first gathering before a secret election to be held later this month to choose a new pope.
The Vatican has declined to say whether John Paul left instructions for his funeral or burial. Most popes in recent centuries have asked to be buried in the crypts below St. Peter’s Basilica, but some have suggested the first Polish-born pope might have chosen to be laid to rest in his native country.
John Paul died Saturday evening at 84 after suffering heart and kidney failure following two hospitalizations in as many months.
The Vatican released the pontiff’s official death certificate Sunday, saying he died of septic shock and an irreversible cardio-circulatory collapse and listing the ailments he suffered from, including the official acknowledgment that the pope had Parkinson’s disease.
Golden Pillows
In Clementine Hall, John Paul’s head rested on several golden pillows, and a rosary was placed in his folded hands. His pastoral staff was tucked under his left arm. His feet were clad in soft brown leather shoes, the same kind of shoes he almost always wore even in major ceremonies.
The hall is a large, 17th-century salon covered by frescoes and located near the papal apartment where John Paul died. He often used the hall for audiences with world leaders.
A colossal chandelier with a green patina hangs from the center of the rounded ceiling, which includes images of angels reaching for the Holy Spirit represented as a white dove.
Prelates and Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi were among those who stood in line to pay their respects. John Paul’s longtime personal secretary, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, sat in prayer in a pew and then greeted prelates and dignitaries. At times he was seen wiping tears from his eyes.
The top Vatican officials in attendance included the close papal aide Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, American Cardinal Edmund Szoka, Polish nuns and the pontiff’s personal doctor. Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the late pope’s vicar for Rome, prayed on his knees by the pope’s body.
The Vatican Swiss Guards also lined up to pay their respects, removing their plumed helmets before kneeling and praying before the pope’s body.