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Pageantry marks Pope John PaulII's funeral
The funeral mass was held at Vatican's St Peter's Square before dozens of world leaders and pilgrims. The papal transition
The solemn funeral mass of Pope John Paul II began on Friday in Saint Peter's Square before dozens of world leaders, a million pilgrims and millions tuning in around the world.
Applause broke out as the plain cypress wood coffin was borne out of Saint Peter's Basilica by 12 bearers in black and placed on a small dais before the altar, signalling the start of the ceremony at around 10:30 am (0830 GMT).
Dignitaries from around the world stood in respect as the coffin was placed on a carpet before the altar, and red-vested cardinals emerged from the basilica following the blessing of the coffin stepped up to kiss the sacred table.
A red-bound New Testament was opened and placed atop coffin, its pages flickering in the wind, as the tones of a Gregorian chant began to be heard.
Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican secretary of state, waved incense over the altar before Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger stepped up to begin celebrating the mass before purple-vested bishops and black-suited dignitaries seated on gilded chairs arrayed on the esplanade.
In the square beyond were 300,000 mourners including special sections for nationals of the late Pope's native Poland and for the handicapped, part of a crowd of about a million ordinary mourners in the area around St Peter's, according to the ANSA news agency.
Millions more were following the mass on television around the world.
US President George W Bush, UN chief Kofi Annan, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Britain's Prince Charles and Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski were among those sitting on the right side of the massive central portal of the basilica, draped with a red velvet curtain adorned with a tapestry depicting the resurrection of Christ.
An hour and a half before the mass began, the late Pope's body, which has been lying in state in the basilica since late Monday, was placed in a cypress-wood coffin.
In the ceremony led by Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo -- the official, known as the cardinal camerlengo, who is in temporary charge of the Vatican until a new pope is elected -- the Pope's face was covered with a white silk veil.
Sealed into the coffin along with the pope's remains were silver and bronze medals minted by the Vatican during John Paul II's 26-year papacy, and a copy of an accounting of his life and work, sealed inside a lead tube, to be delivered during the mass by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.
The coffin was then closed in the presence of the main prelates in the Curia, as the Vatican administration is known.
The requiem mass will follow centuries of solemn ritual befitting the final farewell to the head of the Roman Catholic Church.
Cardinal Ratzinger will deliver his homily, or sermon, containing the eulogy after recitations of psalms and the Liturgy of the Word, or readings from the Bible.
Afterward, the assembly was to pray for the deceased Pope, for "God's holy church," for the people of all nations, for the soul of deceased pontiffs, for the soul of all the dead, and finally for themselves.
Then comes the eucharist, the holiest part of the mass at which communion is served. It concludes with a prayer asking God to "welcome your servant, our pope." The mass then proceeds with a ritual act commending the body to God, followed by a silent prayer.
The Vicar of Rome, Cardinal Camillo Ruini, will pronounce a prayer for the Church of Rome, the pope by tradition being Bishop of Rome. The patriarchs and bishops of the Orthodox churches will then pray according to their rite.
The mass will conclude with an oration by Ratzinger in which he asks God to give "the comfort of faith and hope" to the Church "bereft of its pastor."
