My prayer is that the funeral goes off without a hitch.
That said, over 200 world leaders will be in attendance.
A target-rich environment.
I am more than a bit concerned.
I hope those 100 Swiss Guards have a lot of back up.
(Has anyone else wondered where all those people waiting in line go to the bathroom? In all the live shots, I haven't seen any Porta Potties, but a lot of water bottles floating about.)
I visited the Vatican on March 8th this year. After a long walk through the museum, I approached the exit area that opens to St. Peter's Square. It was a good time for a "potty" break. I went into the men's restroom. Very nice quality stalls and toilets....except all the toilets are lacking seats. Apparently they spent all their money on works of art and forgot something so basic as putting a seat on the toilets :-(
I walked over to the crowd standing under the window to the pope's apartment. The Swiss guard was changing shifts at that time. The pope wasn't in his apartment...he was in the Gemelli clinic around the corner from my hotel.
St. Peter's Basilica was easily the most impressive sight in Rome. Even better than the Sistine Chapel. Rome is a great place to do some sight seeing.
I'm not a Roman Catholic, but I've always held John Paul II in very high esteem. He will be sorely missed.