Posted on 04/08/2005 6:03:35 AM PDT by NYer
VATICAN CITY - Presidents, prime ministers and kings joined pilgrims and prelates in St. Peter's Square on Friday to bid farewell to Pope John Paul II at a funeral service that drew millions to Rome for one of the largest religious gatherings of modern times.
Applause rang out as John Paul's simple wooden coffin adorned with a cross and an "M" for Mary was brought out from St. Peter's Basilica and placed on a carpet in front of the altar. The book of the Gospel was placed on the coffin and the wind lifted the pages.
The Vatican's Sistine Choir sang the Gregorian chant, "Grant Him Eternal Rest, O Lord," and the service got under way. Cardinals wearing white miters walked onto the square, their red vestments blowing in the breeze.
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, dean of the College of Cardinals, a close confidant of John Paul and a possible successor, presided at the Mass and referred to him as our "late beloved pope" in a homily that traced the pontiff's life from his days as a factory worker in Nazi-occupied Poland to his final days as the head of the world's 1 billion Catholics.
Interrupted by applause at least 10 times, the usually unflappable German-born Ratzinger choked up as he recalled one of John Paul's last public appearances — when he blessed the faithful from his studio window on Easter.
"We can be sure that our beloved pope is standing today at the window of the father's house, that he sees us and blesses us," he said to applause, even among the prelates, as he pointed up to the third-floor window above the square.
"Today we bury his remains in the earth as a seed of immortality — our hearts are full of sadness, yet at the same time of joyful hope and profound gratitude," Ratzinger said in heavily accented Italian.
He said John Paul was a "priest to the last" and said he had offered his life for God and his flock "especially amid the sufferings of his final months."
Ratzinger was interrupted again toward the end of the Mass by several minutes of cheers, rhythmic applause and shouts of "Giovanni Paolo Santo" or "Saint John Paul," from the crowd.
At the beginning of the Mass, Ratzinger prayed for God to "grant your servant and our pope, John Paul II, who in the love of Christ led your church, to share with the flock entrusted to him the reward promised to the faithful ministers of the Gospel."
After the 2 1/2-hour Mass, the body will be carried deep under the basilica, where it will join the remains of popes from throughout the ages near the traditional tomb of the apostle Peter, the first pope.
John Paul requested in his last will and testament to be buried "in the bare earth," and his body will be laid to rest under the floor of the grotto below the basilica. His tomb will be covered with a flat stone bearing his name and the dates of his birth and death. Pilgrims will eventually be able to visit.
At least 300,000 people filled St. Peter's Square and spilled out onto the wide Via della Conciliazione leading toward the Tiber River, but millions of others watched on giant video screens set up across Rome. Banners read "Santo Subito," or "Sainthood Immediately."
Earlier, groggy pilgrims who had camped out on the cobblestones awoke in their sleeping bags to hordes of the faithful stepping over them as they tried to secure a good spot to view the Mass.
The square and the boulevard leading to it were a sea of red and white flags waved by pilgrims from John Paul's beloved Poland, many in traditional dress shouting "Polska! Polska!" Pilgrims from other countries raised their national flags in the crowd — American, Lebanese, Spanish, Croatian — and prayers were read out during the Mass in a host of languages — French, Swahili, Portuguese, among others.
"We just wanted to say goodbye to our father for the last time," said Joanna Zmijewsla, 24, who traveled for 30 hours with her brother from a town near Kielce, Poland, arriving at St. Peter's at 1 a.m. Friday.
American Archbishop James Harvey, head of papal protocol, greeted dignitaries and religious leaders as they emerged onto the steps of the basilica. Many shook Harvey's hand and offered condolences before mingling and taking their appointed seats.
Turbans, fezzes, yarmulkes, black lace veils, or mantillas, joined the "zucchettos," or skull caps, of Catholic prelates on the steps of St. Peter's in an extraordinary mix of religious and government leaders from around the world.
"I'm here because I'm a believer but also to live a moment in history," said Stephan Aubert, wearing a French flag draped over his shoulders.
Bells tolled as the final leaders took their places on red-cushioned wooden seats. Ten minutes before the scheduled start of the funeral, the U.S. delegation arrived, headed by President Bush, and including his father, former President George H.W. Bush, and former President Bill Clinton.
President Bush sat on the aisle in the second row, next to his wife, Laura. Beside them were French President Jacques Chirac and his wife, Bernadette. The two presidents shook hands.
Vatican ushers dressed in white tie and tails seated dignitaries who were given a chance to view John Paul's body before it was carried out of the basilica — where it has lain in state since Monday — and into the square.
Rome itself was at a standstill. Just after midnight Thursday, a ban took effect on vehicle traffic in the city center. Airspace was closed, and anti-aircraft batteries outside the city were on alert. Naval ships patrolled both the Mediterranean coast and the Tiber River near Vatican City, the tiny sovereign city-state encompassed by the Italian capital.
Italian authorities took extraordinary precautions to protect the royalty and heads of state or government attending the funeral.
Elite Carabinieri paramilitary police armed with automatic rifles were stationed at virtually every major intersection in Rome to minimize the threat of a terrorist attack on the more than 80 heads of state and monarchs attending the Mass.
Combat jets from Italy's air force, joined by an AWACS surveillance plane deployed by NATO, guarded against any strike from above on the leaders and top Roman Catholic prelates assembled on St. Peter's Square. Italian security agencies posted snipers on rooftops, and a navy warship armed with torpedoes cruised the coastline near Rome. Anti-aircraft rocket launchers were placed strategically around the capital.
Jewish and Muslim leaders were among the dignitaries from more than 80 countries, including the presidents of Syria and Iran, and the king of Jordan.
The pope's death on Saturday at age 84 has elicited a remarkable outpouring of affection around the world and brought an estimated 4 million people to Rome, doubling its population. Most of the pilgrims, however, can only hope to see the ceremony on giant TV screens that have been erected around the Vatican and in piazzas around Rome.
In Krakow, Poland, where John Paul studied for the priesthood, about 800,000 people watched the funeral on three TV screens set up in a field. Many had spent the night around bonfires after a Thursday night Mass drew a million people.
Sirens wailed in Warsaw for three minutes to announce the start of the funeral to the Polish capital. Some 25,000 people packed Pilsudski Square where the pope celebrated Mass during his first visit to his homeland as pope, and another 2,000 gathered in the Old Town in front of St. Ann's Church to watch the funeral on huge screens.
The faithful gathered in the Philippines, Vietnam and elsewhere to watch the service on television or to pray for John Paul. An overflow crowd of about 7,000 worshippers filled Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
John Paul's funeral began with an intimate ceremony attended only by high-ranking prelates, who placed a pouch of silver and bronze medals and a scrolled account of his life in his coffin.
His longtime private secretary, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, and the master of the liturgical ceremonies, Archbishop Piero Marini, placed a white silk veil over the pope's face before the coffin was closed.
Dziwisz was seen weeping at several occasions during the Mass.
The Vatican released John Paul's last will and testament on the eve of the funeral. Penned in Polish over 22 years, beginning five months after his election in October 1978, he gave instructions for his burial and also told his private secretary to burn his personal notes upon his death.
He also suggested he considered resigning in 2000, when his infirmities were already apparent. Revising his will just three days before a historic pilgrimage to the Holy Land, John Paul prayed that God would "help me to recognize up to what point I must continue this service."
On Thursday, the huge bronze doors of St. Peter's were closed to the public in preparation for the Mass. In four days, some estimates say nearly 2 million pilgrims passed by his bier to pay their last respects.
Rome groaned under the weight of visitors. Side streets were clogged in a permanent pedestrian rush hour, mostly by kids with backpacks. Tent camps sprang up at the Circus Maximus and elsewhere around the city to take the spillover from hotels. Hawkers jacked up prices of everything from bottled water to papal trinkets.
The funeral is indeed a learning experience...even for this lapsed Catholic. A lot of traditions I had forgotten about or simply did not know.
It was a very moving funeral. I loved the Cardinal's homily. It brought tears to my eyes. I loved the Latin Mass, the Latin Hymns, and I especially loved hearing the Roman Canon in Latin
Ummmnnhhh....
Anyone else notice the LATIN EMPHASIS in this funeral?
I agree it was very moving. For me it reinforced the sameness of the world in all of this, everything done during Eucharist were exactly like it is done down the street as I am sure it is done everywhere in the World. Also that spontaneous cheering before the final prayer was awesome and brought tears to my eyes.
Wonder if all that Latin stuff, including the Introit/Requiem and the Communio, will have any effect on the US Philistine community?
I remember when I had first heard about his passing, and not being Catholic it suprised me that I reacted with willing tears and prayer. His funeral was a sonic work of art, being that I was on the road and could only catch it on XM ... So long, Holy Father, and may God embrace you into His loving arms.
This is THE Mass that has been said at the Vatican for years. Most of it is in Latin, except for the Readings, the Gospel (Italian), and the Intercessory prayers (multi-national). Those who watch the Daily Mass on EWTN, would feel very comfortable with the liturgy offered up today.
He's biting off one of Condi's fingers. Check the chili.
Magnificent photo. Thank you for sharing.
Wonder what "W" is thinking when this picture was taken?
Pope John Paul II's coffin is carried away from St. Peter's Square after the funeral service on its way to the grottos beneath St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Friday, April 8, 2005.
At the top of the stairs, the pallbearers turned the coffin one last time to face the people gathered. That was when I truly lost it.
Thank you for your prayers! He truly embraced all of humanity from the newborn child to the elderly cripple. The constant stream of people who thronged to Rome to say their farewells, is testimony to this man.
In fact, I am crying while I am typing this. Certainly there is something lacking in my life that isn't being addressed by the Pauline Rite I so often defend.
This funeral Mass was like a breath of the Holy Spirit breathing upon an almost dead ember; a spark of memory in my soul; and it reminds me of my home in the Latin Rite. I want to be home. Until today, I didn't realize I was lost.
I'd give anything if tomorrow I could be present at a Mass celebrated according to the 1962 Roman Missal. I'd give anything to be home.
Sadly, there isn't one in my area. Maybe I am doomed to wander.
"Today we bury his remains in the earth as a seed of immortality — our hearts are full of sadness, yet at the same time of joyful hope and profound gratitude," Ratzinger said.
1 Corinthians 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ummmnhhh--why don't you ask your pastor to do the NO in Latin once a month?
As to the singing--there must be a college or U around there with a music program, and you'd be surprised how many of those profs are ITCHING to do "old stuff."
FReepmail me if you need some ideas on resources; they are very easy to come by.
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
Wo, wo, wo ist ein Sieg???
The 'turning point' of the entire Brahms Requiem.
After that question/climax, the chorus and orchestra launch into a C-major Fugue on verse 57 (C-major is the key of affirmation and certitude.)
"Great, now our flight will be delayed while Condi goes through decontamination."
Forgive an agnostic's ignorance, but I've never been able to grasp the significance of the mass being said in Latin. Why is it appealing to listen to mass in a language one can't understand? Wouldn't it make more sense to be able to understand the words? I know I'm missing something, which is why I ask.
Not many people in their 80's could draw so many youth to a funeral.
Latin is the universal language and the official language of the Church. It is permissable always to use Latin as the language for mass.
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