Last journey: Vatican prepares to bury Pope

Last journey: Vatican prepares to bury Pope

Friday, April 8, 2005 (Vatican):

Heads of state from across the world are in Vatican city today to attend the funeral mass of Pope John Paul II.

But apart from the VIPs, millions have also poured into the Vatican to pay their last respects to the head of one billion Catholics around the world.

The Vatican has received requests to include a handful of polish soil in the coffin.

Authorities in Rome are making final security arrangements. The Italian Air Force has been on standby with aircrafts patrolling the skies.

Funeral rites

The burial ceremony will be watched by many for the centuries old traditions and rituals with which the Pope will finally be laid to rest.

The ceremony will be presided by the Cardinal Chamberlain. The rituals include placing a white silk veil on the Pope's face while a prayer is read.

He will be buried with a small bagof medals that were issued to him over the course of his pontificate and a brief note in Latin detailing his life.

According to tradition, the Pope was transferred into the first of the three coffins ahead of the funeral. This is placed on the stone steps of the Basilica.

He will then be placed inside a second coffin made of zinc and engraved with his name and dates of his tenure.

After, this he be finally placed inside an oak box and interred beneath the Basilica.

Thousands Mass

As the doors of St Peter's Basilica closed on Thursday evening, huge crowds gathered outside the nearby basilica of San Giovanni Laterano to listen to a mass.

Afterwards, thousands of people walked in a candlelit procession to Circus Maximus - the ancient Roman stadium by the Forum and the Colosseum.

The pilgrims are staying the night there ahead of the Pope's funeral on Friday morning.

Pilgrims flock

Millions of people have streamed into Rome to mourn the death of the late pontiff and to celebrate his life.

Rome is groaning under the weight of visitors. As in the Circus Maximus, every available space was being used to accommodate the guests.

Many people staked out positions with sleeping bags and blankets just outside St Peter's Square, getting as close they could to the scene of the funeral.

However, most of them will get to see little more than the same images on giant television screens as could be seen elsewhere in the city.

Rome flooded

Side streets were clogged in a permanent pedestrian rush hour, mostly by young people with backpacks.

Tent camps have sprung up around the city to take the spillover from hotels.

Hawkers have jacked up prices of everything from bottled water to papal trinkets.

Rome police said four million pilgrims had visited the area around Vatican City since John Paul died on Saturday - roughly half the tourists who visit Rome in a typical year.

(With AP inputs)