U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signs the Book of Rememberance at the Vatican Embassy in Washington, D.C., April 5, 2005. Rice will be attending the funeral for Pope John Paul II in Rome, Italy later during the week. REUTERS/Mannie Garcia
Posted on 04/05/2005 1:22:33 PM PDT by NYer
VATICAN CITY (AFP) - Close to a million mourners have paid their last respects in front of the body of Pope John Paul II, the Vatican said, as it issued more details of his funeral and said he had left a final testament.
A sea of humanity flooded streets around the Vatican, long lines snaking in the sun from the banks of the Tiber river causing waiting times to rise to up to seven hours, according to some pilgrims.
But despite the queues and the mere seconds allowed to each mourner passing the body lying in state in Saint Peter's Basilica, all said it was worth it.
"There was grace being poured out. It was like a direct channel from heaven to earth," David De Napoli, a 22-year-old New Yorker, said as he left.
The Vatican said that, based on the numbers so far, it expected the number of pilgrims to reach the one million mark by the end of Tuesday.
Cardinals have not yet named a date on when to begin the conclave that will elect the next pontiff after the death late Saturday of John Paul II, Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said.
He said the cardinals had not opened a testament left by the pope, although he speculated it may contain the identity of a cardinal the pope named in 2003 but whose identity he kept secret.
"At the moment, nobody knows anything about it. Before the pope's death, it wasn't revealed," Navarro-Valls told reporters.
"We don't know if there is something in the text of the testament left by the pope. Naturally, if there is something we will communicate it when it is read."
He was speaking to reporters after 88 of the 91 cardinals currently at the Vatican held their third meeting on arrangements for Friday's funeral.
A senior Vatican official said that for the first time, cardinals will not be totally isolated during their closed-door deliberations, which under their rules must be between between April 17 and 22.
Monsignor Piero Marini, the bishop responsible for liturgical celebrations, said they would be able to move around in the Vatican but would remain banned from contact with the outside world.
He also said that as well as the traditional announcement with white smoke that a new pope has been elected, bells would peal out from St Peter's.
At the basilica, black-clad ushers and military officers motioned mourners forward, keeping people moving endlessly. The actual moment before the body is fleeting.
Gigi Fumagalli said he was happy the ushers did not let him linger. "I was going to make a little lake of tears if I stayed," he smiled after travelling through the night from the Italian town of Lecco.
"After all he did for us, even six months of waiting wouldn't be enough to thank him," said 20-year-old Luigi Scipioni.
St Peter's Square itself was showing signs of wear and tear, with hundreds of empty water bottles, newspapers and food wrappings defying the best efforts of city cleaners.
A dozen mobile medical centers have been set up by the Vatican, Red Cross, Italian hospitals and volunteers working around the clock.
A rescue worker from the northern Tuscany region said she had pulled three people from the thirsty masses waiting in line.
"In the crowd there's not even enough air," she said.
Meanwhile, Rome authorities kicked into high gear amid a security headache for the pope's funeral Friday, when some 200 world leaders are due to converge on the Vatican as well as an estimated two million people on the streets.
Throngs of pilgrims arriving in Rome are being greeted at the main railway station with handouts of water, information on free shuttles to Vatican City, and -- most precious of all -- where to find free lodging.
Thousands more are expected to try to fly in, although air traffic will be severely disrupted for security reasons.
Italy's civil aviation body Enac said that it planned to divert 80 charter flights to neighbouring cities from where pilgrims will be transported to Rome by bus and coach.
The Italian rail network Trenitalia has put on 43 extra trains a day, but that did not stop some 300 disgruntled pilgrims from mounting a protest after they were unable to get onto a jam-packed train.
With leaders including US President George W. Bush attending the funeral, security meaures include a no-fly zone over the capital from Wednesday. Up to 10,000 police and security forces are being deployed.
Other leaders include a clutch of European royalty, presidents from Brazil, France and the Philippines and the prime ministers of Britain and Canada.
Showing that the pope's appeal transcended boundaries, Israeli President Moshe Katsav and Palestinian Authority premier Ahmed Qorei will also come.
Friday's requiem mass will be celebrated by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the Vatican's doctrinal enforcer and a possible successor to John Paul II.
The pope's death has drawn eulogies around the world for his commitment to peace, humanity and dialogue, and his contribution to the fall of communism in Poland and by extension the whole of eastern Europe.
Tributes continue to pour in from around the world.
In his native Poland, a huge open-air mass drew 200,000 people to Pilsudski Square in central Warsaw, where the pope had once stood up for the Solidarity trade union movement, then banned by the communist authorities.
In Rome, unions called on their members to observe a minute of silence at the start of the funeral.
But it was the sight of the queues lining up to catch even a brief glimpse of the pope, lying resplendent in his red and white vestments in front of the altar of St Peter's, that continued to catch the eye.
"I came out of Saint Peter's with an awfully big challenge. How do you live as close to what you believe in as he did?," wondered Dennis Gang, an American priest.
"If I could do just one-billionth of what he did I would consider myself a success as a pope."
Italian cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, showing something of the populist touch which made John Paul II so beloved, greeted some among the massive crowd.
"It's very beautiful," said the archbishop of Genoa, who is seen as one of the possible successors. "So many people are here to give back to John Paul II the love they received from him."
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Pataki spokesman David Catalfamo said Tuesday the Patakis would take a commercial flight to Rome on Wednesday and return to New York on Sunday.
Catalfamo said the state would pay for Pataki's flight and expenses through Friday while the governor's campaign committee would pay all of Libby Pataki's expenses and for the governor's ground expenses on Saturday while in Italy.
President Bush is leading an official American delegation to the funeral that includes his wife Laura, former Presidents Bush and Clinton, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
AP-ES-04-05-05 1620EDT
I may be wrong, but I don't think that's a statue of St. Peter. The book is usually not a motif associated with St. Peter. Reuters probably confused it with the famous "black" statue of St. Peter that's on the other side of the long nave, the one with the shiny foot from so many people touching it.
This is simply amazing. This massive outpouring of love for John Paul II must be a great frustration for the Christopher Hitchens of the world. Thanks for posting.
What are the odds that the unnamed Cardinal is elected Pope?
The media coverage has, for the most part, been continual. I know they do not understand it, but I wonder if they are going to analyze and accept what is really being said by the people of the world? I wonder if they have realized that for the past two weeks viewers have been glued to their televisions because of our interest in news of moral and spiritual significance?
Are they listening to this loud roar from the world's people who are obviously demonstrating what in life is truly important?
When, in the history of the media have they had two events back-to-back (Terri and PJPII) that drew constant viewing, millions of emails, and a representation of the depth of the omnipresent human belief in Christ-like living, morality, and spirituality?
Someone had better be paying attention.
Intriguing thought
IMHO probably very low. We do not know as of yet, if PJPII wrote his name somewhere, so that it is known to others. The expression "in pectore," actually means "of the heart." So the unnamed Cardinal may be one whose appointment PJPII held in his heart. It could be written down and in the final papers the Pope left for the Cardinals to read, which they are now doing.
Also, if the unknown Cardinal is one from a communist country, for example, his name might not be released for fear of his safety. It could be kept in the Vatican's records, but not released publically. But, as we all know, anything is possible.
"The worldwide expressions of appreciation for the most spiritual man who has walked the earth in hundreds of years is overwhelming.The pictures leave me speechless and my heart wells up with joy that Pope John Paul, The Great is being adored with such veneration and to such an outstanding extent."THANK YOU I DO FEEL{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{BE STRONG GOOD PERSONS!!!!
We love the Pope that Poland nurtured and gave to the world. I hope someday, before it is impossible for me, I can travel to both Rome and Poland and walk where our Dear Holy Father walked.
anony;
I have been thinking of you during the Pope's last ordeal and death. You must be very proud of your great countryman - surely one of history's pivotal men. Thank you for loaning him to the rest of us!
Guess Reuters thinks there's only one saint named Peter . . .
Thanks for the catch. I can see how a Reuters reporter would think it was the Apostle Peter, on account of the chains. I'll pull out my Giorgina Masson Guide to Rome to confirm.
While you have all keenly ascertained that the statue is NOT "the" St. Peter, my eyes have been riveted on the two confessionals. Guess the media didn't understand them either ;-D.
You know, my quick analysis of the reasoning of the Cardinals is this (tied to the confessionals): I think (HOPE) the Cardinals realize that the area of concern in the Church is Europe: vast areas that are once again mission territory, just as in the 6th century, when Augustine was sent to the British Isles. Far too many areas are unchurched, and the next Pope, with the assistance of our own priests and bishops but also with the aid of the leadership of other Christian churches, needs to bring about a revival of simply Catholic piety all over the continent. I hope the next Pope, by word and action, encourages the many, many forms of piety and discipline that will make the faith a daily habit. Like weekly (or at least monthly) confessions: encourage priests to actually mention this in the weekly homily. Like lay participation in the liturgy of the hours, and inviting lay folk to organize at least vespers on Sundays. Etc. Etc.
Here's a cool website with a map and pictures of many of the art works: Interactive Floor Plan of St. Peter's Basilica
They probably think those are phone booths.
Thanks for the link. Fabulous.
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