World leaders attend Pope’s funeral
-08/04/05
World leaders joined millions of pilgrims in Rome today to pay their final respects to Pope John Paul II.
In what has become possibly the largest event in modern Christian history, millions flooded into the Italian capital.
Only a fraction were able to get into St Peter’s Square to witness the funeral mass.
Hundreds of thousands more watched on everything from tiny television sets to giant screens set up for the benefit of pilgrims across the eternal city.
The Prince of Wales was among the mourners along with Tony Blair, George Bush and the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams.
Dignitaries from at least 155 countries were in Rome, including President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, who used the occasion to sidestep a European Union travel ban.
Also attending were the president of Iran, Mohammad Khatami, and Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qurei – both of them Muslims.
A ring of steel was thrown around central Rome.
From last night, vehicle traffic was banned from the city centre.
Air space was closed with many tourist flights diverted to other airports.
Anti-aircraft batteries outside the city were on alert and naval ships patrolled both the Mediterranean coast and the Tiber River near Vatican City, the tiny sovereign city-state encompassed by the Italian capital.
Thousands of extra police were out in force on the streets.
The numbers who said a personal farewell to pope approached two million after his body went on public view on Monday.
The basilica’s doors were shut for good last night, ending four days of visits.
One visitor commented; “Inside the Basilica it was very quiet, there was great companionship with all the people around us. It didn’t matter what language you spoke, we were all there for one thing and it was amazing.
“It’s overwhelming, it’s both sad and happy. Nothing can follow what I have experienced in the past few hours.”