The two and a half hour funeral Mass for Pope John Paul II has gotten underway in St Peter’s Square in Vatican City this morning, as tens of thousands of pilgrims and world leaders come together to pay their respects to one of the most admired religious leaders in history.
The Pope’s body was carried in a plain wooden coffin and taken to the steps of St Peter’s Basilica – where 26 years ago the Pontiff first emerged to lead the Roman Catholic Church for more than a quarter of a century.
Attending the funeral were four Kings, five Queens, and at least 70 Prime Ministers and Presidents.
Emotions were high as tens of thousands gathered to pay homage to the man who helped to bring down the Iron Curtain, who urged unity between faith groups and who lead strictly in line with Biblical texts and beliefs.
Hundreds of thousands have poured into the Vatican and the area surrounding, and an endless sea of bodies and flags can be seen with the red and white colours of John Paul’s native Polish flag.
Police have reported that there was a struggle to hold back the millions of pilgrims that have come to Rome for the event – and a number of visitors have fainted amid the high emotions of the event.
Around Rome up to 2 million people are watching the event live on giant TV screens, and pictures are being broadcast to global audience which could potentially reach into the billions.
Previously the Pope’s body was prepared for the funeral and enclosed in a plain cypress coffin in an hour-long ritual, which began with a prayer by Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo, "Dear brothers and sisters. We are here to carry out some acts of human pity before the funeral mass of the Roman Pontiff, Pope John Paul."
After, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, the Pope’s long-serving private secretary and the Master of Ceremonies, Archbishop Piero Marini, placed a white silk veil on John Paul’ face.
After the Mass is completed the coffin will be placed into two further coffins before travelling down to the alcove in the crypt of the Basilica.
