Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II
The funeral of Pope John Paul II was held on 8 April 2005, six days after his death on 2 April. It was followed by the novemdiales devotional in which the Roman Catholic Church and its Eastern Rite observe nine days of mourning.
On February 22, 1996, Pope John Paul II introduced revisions to the centuries-old ceremonies surrounding papal death, repose and burial. The revisions enacted through the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis applied to his own funeral.
Coinciding with the funeral in Vatican City, archbishops and bishops at cathedrals throughout the world celebrated memorial masses for grieving Roman Catholics.
In a historical rarity, Protestant and Eastern Orthodox Christian leaders, as well as leaders in Judaism and Islam, offered memorials and prayers of their own for their congregants sharing in the grief of Roman Catholics. The current Archbishop of Canterbury was present at the papal funeral for the first time since the Church of England broke with the papacy in the 16th century.
Death
Centuries of sacred rituals are set in motion upon the death of a pope. Such rituals are administered by the Cardinal Camerlengo.
When Pope John Paul II died, Camerlengo Eduardo Cardinal Martínez Somalo removed the Pope's Ring of the Fisherman from his finger. The Cardinal then ceremonially crushed the ring with the ceremonial silver hammer in the presence of members of the College of Cardinals. This is done to prevent the creation of forged, backdated documents, which would appear to have been approved by John Paul II.
After the ring's destruction, Cardinal Martínez Somalo cordoned off and placed wax seals on the entrances to the Pope's private bedroom and study. This tradition originates from ruthless cardinals looting the papal chambers upon the death of past popes.
Cardinal Martínez Somalo issued the Pope's formal death certificate, signed by Dr. Renato Buzzonetti, Director of the Department of Health and Sanitation of Vatican City, on the evening of his death. Cardinal Martínez Somalo then ceremonially ordered the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, to summon the cardinals of the world to Vatican City to elect a new pope.
Some traditions were omitted, partly as a result of changes made by Pope John Paul II to the formula of rituals upon the death of a pope. One of these would have required Cardinal Martínez Somalo to tap the head of the pope with the ceremonial silver hammer, a practice that is believed to have ended some time ago. It remains customary for the Camerlengo to call out a pope's birth name three times, to ensure the pope has truly passed away.
While his predecessors had been embalmed after death, the Vatican claimed that Pope John Paul II was not embalmed and lay in state without normal treatment for preservation. Also, it was customary for popes to have their organs removed after death. Pope Saint Pius X ended this practice during his reign, and it appears that the wish of some Poles that John Paul II's heart be buried in Poland was not obliged.
Vestments
Pope John Paul II's body was clothed in a priest's suit over which was placed a plain white alb. A stole, representing the pastoral nature of the office of priest, was placed around his neck. Over the inner vestments, Pope John Paul II was clothed in the red chasuble he wore at each Ash Wednesday, Holy Week and Pentecost. The red color represents the blood of the martyrs, signifying Pope John Paul II's willingness to shed his own blood for the Christian faith. Around his collar, the pallium of white lamb's wool was draped. A white zucchetto and a bishop's mitre adorned Pope John Paul II's head. In his arm rested his famous crosier or pastoral staff. His hands clasped a rosary.
In a break from tradition, Pope John Paul II requested that he be exempt from use of the elaborately embroidered red Papal Slippers, symbolizing submission to the authority of Christ, normally placed on the feet of a deceased pope. Pope John Paul II instead chose to be buried in his favorite pair of Polish-made brown leather shoes, an American size ten and a half, which he wore on his travels throughout the world.
Mass of Repose
The Mass of Repose, a sacred ritual offered to anyone baptized in the Roman Catholic Church, was led by Angelo Cardinal Sodano on April 3, 2005. That Sunday service coincided with the celebration of the Feast of Divine Mercy, a memorial feast instituted by Pope John Paul II.
Cardinal Sodano stirred excitement by some devotees of the pope when in his published written homily for the Mass of Repose, he referred to Pope John Paul II as "the Great". This is remarkable as only three Popes in history, Pope Leo I, Pope Gregory I and Pope Nicholas I are accorded this appellation. While the appellation was omitted from the spoken homily, under Vatican rules, what members of the College of Cardinals write during the interregnum is deemed official. The Mass of Repose, commemorating the sending of the soul to God, was followed by the recitation of the Regina Coeli.
Rite of Visitation
The body of Pope John Paul II was dressed in his vestments and moved to the Clementine Room on the third level considered the second floor of the Apostolic Palace on April 3. His body was laid on a sloped olive-sheeted bed and propped on a stack of three gold pillows. Near the bed was a wooden crucifix and a paschal candle symbolic of Jesus Christ as the light of the world in the face of darkness and death. His body was guarded by the Swiss Guard, a corps of men which has sworn to protect the pope through several centuries. During a period of private visitation Vatican officials and a contingent of officials from the Italian government viewed the body Pope John Paul II.
On April 4, the body of Pope John Paul II was moved onto a red velvet bier, propped on three red pillows. The Papal Gentlemen, regaled in black morning coats and white gloves, were consecrated as pallbearers and stood along the sides of the pope's bier. Cardinal Martínez Somalo, dressed in red and gold vestments, officiated the sprinkling rite. He blessed the pope with the holy waters of baptism three times: to the right of the pope, at his head and then to his left. An acolyte then brought to the camerlengo a censer and boat. Cardinal Martínez Somalo incensed the pope three times.
A long procession was begun in order to transfer the body of Pope John Paul II from the Clementine Room, through the colonnades of the Apostolic Palace and into St. Peter's Square among the waiting people. Traditionally, the pope's body is then led to either St. Peter's Basilica or the papal cathedral, Basilica of St. John Lateran. A procession of monks, priests and bishops paced slowly along a route towards St. Peter's Basilica. The College of Cardinals trailed by Cardinal Ratzinger and Cardinal Martínez Somalo followed them.
As the ritual dating back to the medieval era proceeded, Gregorian chants were sung by several religious orders with the people responding to each verse with the ancient Greek prayer, "Lord, have mercy" or "Kyrie eleison." The Litany of the Saints was sung. After each name of a martyr or saint was chanted, invoking his or her intercession between God and the people, participants in the procession sang the Latin words, "Pray for him" or "Ora pro eo." This is a departure from the traditional, "Pray for us" or "Ora pro nobis."
When the body of Pope John Paul II was hoisted upon the steps of St. Peter's Basilica, the Papal Gentlemen turned the bier and lifted the pope's head to face the tens of thousands of people that filled St. Peter's Square. Cardinal Martínez Somalo noted it as the pope's symbolic last look at the devoted followers that had filled St. Peter's Square throughout the papacy of Pope John Paul II.
The procession ended with the seating of the College of Cardinals and the placement of the bier carrying the body of Pope John Paul II on a bed in front of the steps leading to the altar of St. Peter's Basilica. The paschal candle was lit and the body of Pope John Paul II was incensed again by Cardinal Martínez Somalo. Prayers were said and a reading from the Gospels was performed by a deacon. After the College of Cardinals paid their respects and left the sanctuary, the basilica was closed and then reopened for the official lying in state to last until the day of the Mass of Requiem and subsequent interment.
Mass of Requiem
Cardinal Ratzinger led the Mass of Requiem on April 8 at 10:00am CEST (08:00 UTC), by virtue of his office as Dean of the College of Cardinals. He was also one of Pope John Paul II's closest friends and carried out most of the Pope's duties during his final illness. Concelebrating in the Mass of Requiem were the College of Cardinals (the number of members were present has been variously given as 157 and 164) and the patriarchs of the Eastern Rite.
Friday was chosen in honor of Good Friday of the Passion of Jesus Christ. The mass at St. Peter's Basilica was the first Mass of Requiem for a pope to be televised live in almost every nation in the world to an estimated viewership of over two billion people; the Roman Catholic Church claims only 1.1 billion among its members. In lieu of a public viewing at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, as was tradition, immense digital screens instead broadcast the Mass of Requiem and subsequent Rite of Interment to people in the pope's cathedral church outside the confines of Vatican City. The same digital screens were hoisted at several sites in Rome, including the Circus Maximus.
The funeral was perhaps the most-watched live event in the history of television. People in the United States understood that the service took place during the early morning hours on their side of the Atlantic. Many people awoke in order to view the funeral, and others taped it hor a historical record.IN addition, television networks in the Americas rebroadcast the funeral later in the day.
Processional
As the Mass of Requiem began, the doors of St. Peter's Basilica were locked with dignitaries asked to stand outside the church. Only the College of Cardinals and the patriarchs of the Eastern Rite were allowed inside for a private ceremony in which Pope John Paul II was placed in a cypress coffin, the first of three. After the private ceremony, the doors of St. Peter's Basilica were opened while dignitaries were seated. Cardinal Ratzinger and his concelebrants prepared for their procession from inside the basilica to a marble apron in the middle of St. Peter's Square where the Mass of Requiem was held.
The procession began with the introductory hymn, "Eternal Rest Grant Him, O Lord." It was followed by the singing of Psalm 64 (in some Biblical versions Psalm 65), "To You We Owe Our Hymn of Praise, O God of Zion." Borne on the shoulders of the Papal Gentlemen, the coffin bearing the image of Pope John Paul II's coat-of-arms burned onto the lid, the pope was carried into St. Peter's Square onto the marble apron. An acolyte holding a red leather-bound Book of the Gospel led the coffin. The Papal Gentlemen laid the coffin onto a red carpet directly in front of the altar.
During the singing, Cardinal Ratzinger and his concelebrants removed their mitres and bowed to kiss the altar. Concelebrants placed their mitres back onto their heads and took their positions at two lines of gold cathedra, similar to thrones. The altar was then blessed and incensed. After the songs ended, Cardinal Ratzinger recited the prayer for Pope John Paul II.
The congregants offered a prayer of confession and then sang "Kyrie eleison," also sung during the transferral of the pope's body from the Apostolic Palace to St. Peter's Basilica.
Proclamation
The part of the Mass of Requiem called the Proclamation, or Liturgy of the Word, was begun. A first reading taken from the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 10, verses 34 through 43, was read aloud by Chilean Alejandra Correa in Spanish. Correa ended by singing, "This is the Word of the Lord." Congregants replied in chant, "Deo gratias" or "Thanks be to God." After a brief pause of silence to reflect on the first reading, Psalm 22 was sung. Included in its lyrics, sung by the Mexican Marcos Pavan in Latin, and assisted by the Sistine Choir, were the words, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want." The second reading was read by John McDonald in English, taken from the Letters of Saint Paul to the Philippians, chapter 3, verse 20 through chapter 4, verse 1. It was entitled, "But our citizenship is in heaven." The reader ended by singing, "This is the Word of the Lord." Congregants replied in chant, "Deo gratias" or "Thanks be to God."
Congregants stood for the singing of the Alleluia. After being blessed by Cardinal Ratzinger, the Book of the Gospels was carried by an English deacon, Paul Moss, to the ambo or lectern. He began by singing, "The Gospel according to John." Congregants replied, "Glory to you, O Lord." Moss then incensed the Book of the Gospel and then sang the reading in Latin. The reading came from John chapter 6, verse 40, stating, "For this is the will of my father that everyone who sees the son and believes in him may have eternal life." Moss then read from John chapter 21, verses 15 through 19, which is an account of a dialogue between Jesus and Saint Peter. Jesus asked three times, "Do you love me?" He then told his disciple, "Follow me." The deacon raised the Book of the Gospel and sang, "Verbum domini" or "This is the Gospel of the Lord." Congregants replied in chant, "Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ."
Homily
After kissing the text of the Book of the Gospel, Cardinal Ratzinger stood before the congregants to offer his homily, similar to a sermon in the Protestant denominations, which included a eulogy of the life and service of Pope John Paul II. He spoke in Italian:
- These are the sentiments that inspire us, Brothers and Sisters in Christ, present here in St. Peter's Square, in neighboring streets and in various other locations within the city of Rome, where an immense crowd, silently praying, has gathered over the last few days. I greet all of you from my heart. In the name of the College of Cardinals, I also wish to express my respects to Heads of State, Heads of Government and the delegations from various countries. I greet the Authorities and official representatives of other Churches and Christian Communities, and likewise those of different religions. Next I greet the Archbishops, Bishops, priests, religious men and women and the faithful who have come here from every Continent; especially the young, whom John Paul II liked to call the future and the hope of the Church. My greeting is extended, moreover, to all those throughout the world who are united with us through radio and television in this solemn celebration of our beloved Holy Father's funeral.
- Follow me — as a young student Karol Wojtyla was thrilled by literature, the theater, and poetry. Working in a chemical plant, surrounded and threatened by the Nazi terror, he heard the voice of the Lord: Follow me! In this extraordinary setting he began to read books of philosophy and theology, and then entered the clandestine seminary established by Cardinal Sapieha. After the war he was able to complete his studies in the faculty of theology of the Jagiellonian University of Krakow. How often, in his letters to priests and in his autobiographical books has he spoken to us about his priesthood, to which he was ordained on Nov. 1, 1946. In these texts he interprets his priesthood with particular reference to three sayings of the Lord. First: "You did not choose me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last" (John 15:16). The second saying is: "The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" (John 10:11). And then: "As the father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love" (John 15:9). In these three sayings we see the heart and soul of our Holy Father. He really went everywhere, untiringly, in order to bear fruit, fruit that lasts. "Rise, Let us be on our Way!" is the title of his next-to-last book. "Rise, let us be on our way!" — with these words he roused us from a lethargic faith, from the sleep of the disciples of both yesterday and today. "Rise, let us be on our way!" he continues to say to us even today. The Holy Father was a priest to the last, for he offered his life to God for his flock and for the entire human family, in a daily self-oblation for the service of the Church, especially amid the sufferings of his final months. And this way he became one with Christ, the Good Shepherd who loves his sheep. Finally, "abide in my love:" the Pope who tried to meet everyone, who had an ability to forgive and to open his heart to all, tells us once again today, with these words of the Lord, that by abiding in the love of Christ we learn, at the school of Christ, the art of true love.
- Follow me! In July 1958 the young priest Karol Wojtyla began a new stage in his journey with the Lord in the footsteps of the Lord. Karol had gone to the Masuri Lakes for his usual vacation, along with a group of young people who loved canoeing. But he brought with him a letter inviting him to call on the Primate of Poland, Cardinal Wyszynski. He could guess the purpose of the meeting: he was to be appointed as the auxiliary Bishop of Krakow. Leaving the academic world, leaving this challenging engagement with young people, leaving the great intellectual endeavor of striving to understand and to interpret the mystery of that creature which is man and of communicating to today's world the Christian interpretation of our being — all this must have seemed to him like losing his very self, losing what had become the very human identity of this young priest. Follow me — Karol Wojtyla accepted the appointment for he heard in the Church's call the voice of Christ. And then he realized how true are the Lord's words: "Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it" (Luke 17:53). Our pope — and we all know this — never wanted to make his own life secure, to keep it for himself, he wanted to give of himself unreservedly, to the very last moment, for Christ and thus also for us. And thus he came to experience how everything which he had given over into the Lord's hands came back to him in a new way. His love of words, of poetry, of literature became an essential part of his pastoral mission and gave his new vitality, new urgency, new attractiveness to the preaching of the Gospel, even when it is a sign of contradiction.
- Follow me! In October 1978, Cardinal Wojtyla once again heard the voice of the Lord. Once more there took place that dialogue with Peter reported in the Gospel of this Mass: "Simon, son of John, do you love me? Feed my sheep!' To the Lord's question, `Karol, do you love me?' the archbishop of Krakow answered from the depths of his heart: "Lord, you know everything: you know that I love you." The love of Christ was the dominant force in the life of our beloved Holy Father. Anyone who ever saw him pray, who ever heard him preach, knows that. Thanks to his being profoundly rooted in Christ, he was able to bear a burden which transcends merely human abilities: that of being the shepherd of Christ's flock, his universal Church. This is not the time to speak of the specific content of this rich pontificate. I would like only to read two passages of today's liturgy which reflect the central elements of his message. In the first reading, St. Peter says — and with St. Peter, the pope himself — "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ — he is Lord of all" (Acts of the Apostles 10:34-36). And in the second reading, St. Paul — and with St. Paul, our late Pope — exhorts us, crying out: "My brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and my crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved" (Philippians 4:1).
- Follow me! Together with the command to feed his flock, Christ proclaimed to Peter that he would die a martyr's death. With those words, which conclude and sum up the dialogue on the love and on the mandate of the universal shepherd, the Lord recalls another dialogue, which took place during the Last Supper. There Jesus had said: "Where I am going, you cannot come." Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus replied: "Where I am going, you cannot follow me now: but you will follow me afterward." (John 13:33-36). Jesus from the Supper went toward the Cross, went toward his Resurrection — he entered into the paschal mystery; and Peter could not follow him. Now — after the Resurrection — comes the time, comes this "afterward." By shepherding the flock of Christ, Peter enters into the paschal mystery, he goes toward the cross and the Resurrection. The Lord says this in these words: "`....when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go; (John 21:18) In the first years of his pontificate, still young and full of energy, the Holy Father went to very ends of the Earth, guided by Christ. But afterward, he increasingly entered into the communion of Christ's sufferings; increasingly he understood the truth of the words: "Someone else will fasten a belt around you." And in the very communion with the suffering Lord, tirelessly and with renewed intensity, he proclaimed the Gospel, the mystery of that love which goes to the end (John 13:1).
- He interpreted for us the paschal mystery as a mystery of divine mercy. In his last book, he wrote: The limit imposed upon evil "is ultimately Divine Mercy" ("Memory and Identity," p. 60-61). And reflecting on the assassination attempt, he said: "In sacrificing himself for us all, Christ gave a new meaning to suffering, opening up a new dimension, a new order: the order of love. ... It is this suffering which burns and consumes evil with the flame of love and draws forth even from sin a great flowering of good." Impelled by this vision, the pope suffered and loved in communion with Christ, and that is why the message of his suffering and his silence proved so eloquent and so fruitful.
- Divine Mercy: the Holy Father found the purest reflection of God's mercy in the Mother of God. He who at an early age had lost his own mother, loved his divine mother all the more. He heard the words of the crucified Lord as addressed personally to him: "Behold your Mother." And so he did as the beloved disciple did: he took her into his own home;" (John 19:27)
- Totus tuus. And from the mother he learned to conform himself to Christ.
- None of us can ever forget how in that last Easter Sunday of his life, the Holy Father, marked by suffering, came once more to the window of the Apostolic Palace and one last time gave his blessing urbi et orbi. 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. Yes, bless us, Holy Father. We entrust your dear soul to the Mother of God, your Mother, who guided you each day and who will guide you now to the eternal glory of her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Cardinal Ratzinger became emotional at certain parts of his homily, especially in reflection of the inability of Pope John Paul II to speak in the last days of his life. Altogether, the homily was interrupted approximately ten times with outbursts of applause by the congregants.
Nicene Creed spoken in the Latin language followed the homily. The prayers of the faithful were offered in Italian, French, Swahili, Tagalog, Polish, German, and Portuguese.
Eucharist
The part of the Mass of Requiem called the Liturgy of the Eucharist began. Cardinal Ratzinger and the concelebrating cardinals gathered around the altar table to bless bread and wine to be served as the communion feast. The prayers said aloud by Cardinal Ratzinger at the altar table and his blessings over bread and wine by his hands are believed by Catholics to have the power to transform the bread and wine into the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ. This process is refered to as transubstantiation.
During the blessing of the Eucharist, the Lord's Prayer was sung followed later by the Latin anthem, "Agnus Dei". The Eucharist was then taken to the congregants in St. Peter's Square to be dispensed to only Roman Catholics and Eastern Rite Catholics. Members of other religions or denominations of Christianity were barred from receiving the sacrament as a matter of theological doctrine. As congregants received the sacrament, Psalm 129 (in some Biblical versions Psalm 130) was sung. Its lyrics proclaimed, "Out of the depths I cry to you O Lord, Lord hear my voice."
After the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the crowds in the streets of Vatican City burst into applause, waving flags and banners chanting, "Santo Subito!" which means "Saint now!" and "Giovanni Paolo Santo" or "Saint John Paul!". A few also repeatedly chanted "Magnus" or "Great", spontaneously declaring that he should be Pope John Paul II The Great.
Commendation
After the congregants received the sacrament, Cardinal Ratzinger led the Rite of Final Commendation and Farewell. He asked the College of Cardinals and patriarchs of the Eastern Rite to converge on the casket of Pope John Paul II. The congregants were called to prayer, "Dear brothers and sisters let us entrust to the most gentle mercy of God, the soul of our Pope John Paul II." He continued, "May the Blessed Virgin Mary... intercede with God so that he might show the face of his blessed Son to our Pope, and console the church with the light of the resurrection."
The choir sang the Litany of the Saints; the same song was sung during the procession that transferred the body of Pope John Paul II from the Clementine Room of the Apostolic Palace to St. Peter's Basilica. Breaking with tradition for the sacred prayer, the names of the saints canonized by Pope John Paul II, such as Saint Maria Faustina and Saint Josemaría Escrivá, was allowed to be included in the song. Names of saints included in the more traditional litany were also included along with the newer saints.
After the singing of the Litany of the Saints, the patriarchs, archbishops and metropolitans of the Eastern Rite approached the coffin of Pope John Paul II for their own rituals of commendation and farewell. They incensed the casket and led each other into prayer. Together with the College of Cardinals and patriarchs of the Eastern Rite, they all witnessed the sprinkling of the casket with the waters used in the sacrament of baptism. Incense was used once again.
The Mass of Requiem was officially ended with congregants standing, singing the words, "May the angels accompany you into heaven, may the martyrs welcome you when you arrive, and lead you to Holy Jerusalem."
The Papal Gentlemen carried the coffin of Pope John Paul II for interment. Cardinal Ratzinger handed over authority of the Rite of Interment to Cardinal Martínez Somalo.
Rite of Interment
The people of Poland had wished for the heart of Pope John Paul II to be removed from his body and transferred to Wawel Cathedral to be buried alongside the greatest of Poland's monarchs. Cardinal Martínez Somalo said that the request would not be obliged.
An underground grotto beside the former shrine of the now glass-entombed and preserved body of Blessed Pope John XXIII was chosen for the interment of Pope John Paul II. He was lowered into the vacant tomb that once held the remains of Blessed Pope John XXIII, who was moved by Pope John Paul II to the main floor of the basilica for beatification. The College of Cardinals decided to keep the Pope beneath the altar of St. Peter's Basilica citing the possibility of future beatification and canonization into sainthood.
As is custom, Pope John Paul II was entombed in three nested coffins. Before being laid in the coffins, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz had the honor of placing a white silk veil over the face of the pope. It was his last official act of service to Pope John Paul II as his papal secretary. The body was lowered into a cypress coffin, which served as the innermost coffin. Along with the body was a sealed document, a eulogy detailing the life and works of Pope John Paul II. Three bags containing gold, silver and copper coins were placed beside the body. Each bag contained one coin for each year in Pope John Paul II's reign, the only monetary compensation he received for his service as pope.
After the Mass of Requiem ended, Cardinal Martínez Somalo became the presider over the Rite of Interment. It was a private service witnessed only by the highest-ranking members of the College of Cardinals. The cypress coffin was sealed and tied with three red silk ribbons.
The cypress casket was lowered into a larger solid zinc (traditionally lead) casket, which was soldered shut. This coffin was adorned with three bronze plaques: a simple cross at the head of the coffin, a plaque with the Pope's name and dates of birth and death at the centre, and Pope John Paul II's personal coat of arms at the foot. The zinc casket was finally lowered into a larger walnut (traditionally elm) casket, bearing three identical plaques, which was shut with nails of pure gold.
Pallbearers took the unified coffin through the Door of Death on the left side of the altar of St. Peter's Basilica. At that point a single bell tolled. The pallbearers took the coffin down the stairs near the statue of Saint Longinus at the base of the canopy of Gian Lorenzo Bernini. They lead down to the grottoes, a cemetery underneath the Basilica where Saint Peter is believed to be buried.
After pacing through the low ceilings and long corridors, the pallbearers stopped at the crypt of Pope John Paul II. The coffin was lowered into the ground, as the Pope requested, and covered with a plain stone slab featuring his name, birth and death dates. Pope John Paul II asked that he not be placed in an elaborate sarcophagus and ornate aboveground tomb, as was done to his predecessors.
Cardinal Martínez Somalo ended the Rite of Interment with the words, "Lord, grant him eternal rest, and may perpetual light shine upon him." Those present sang "Salve Regina" or "Hail Holy Queen."
Dignitaries
Main article: List of dignitaries at the funeral of Pope John Paul II
Before the College of Cardinals could offer official customary invitations to the various heads of state and government, over 200 foreign officials had expressed their desire to attend the Mass of Requiem. Among the most familiar faces worldwide were the current and former Presidents of the United States, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Chancellor of Germany, Prince of Wales and United Nations Secretary-General. Also attending was Mohammad Khatami of Iran, not normally tolerant of Christianity in his own country. Altogether, the Mass of Requiem was deemed to be the largest gathering of statesmen in world history, exceeding the gathering at the state funeral of Sir Winston Churchill in London in 1965.
Novemdiales
After the Rite of Interment, nine official days of mourning began. The devotional called novemdiales features a Mass of Requiem on each of the nine days at St. Peter's Basilica. Several cardinals were chosen by Cardinal Ratzinger to have the honor of presiding over each mass. One of the most controversial honorees was Bernard Cardinal Law, Archpriest of St. Mary Major Basilica, scheduled to preside a novemdiales on April 11. During his tenure as Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Law was accused of having mishandled cases of sexual abuse at the hands of diocesan priests. The event sparked the nationwide Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal in the dioceses of the United States.
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, a grassroots advocacy group also known as SNAP, flew to Rome to protest saying Cardinal Law's place of honor was painful to sexual abuse victims and embarrassing to Roman Catholics. Just as the group's members arrived at St. Peter's Basilica, led by founder Barbara Blaine, police officers escorted them outside the confines of St. Peter's Square. Blaine was unable to pass out fliers to people walking into the mass offered by Cardinal Law.
Blaine had earlier told reporters in a press conference, "We are the sons and daughters of the Catholic family who were raped, sodomized and sexually molested by priests. At this time, we should be able to focus on the Holy Father's death, instead of Cardinal Law's prominence." The College of Cardinals responded by stating that Cardinal Law was honored as a matter of his being the ordinary of one of the most important basilicas of the Roman Catholic Church.
Security
The immensity of the pilgrim presence in Rome and the vast diplomatic contingent from nations around the world raised concerns by the College of Cardinals that the funeral, conclave and installation of a new pope would place Vatican City as a prime target for international terrorism.
On April 6—in advent of the arrival of the United States delegation aboard Air Force One, protected by a military escort—the Italian government issued a no-fly zone within a five-mile radius of Rome. The Italian government considered the President of the United States, the first sitting American president to attend a papal funeral, as the most tempting target for terrorists. Official diplomatic delegations from other nations began arriving at the same time.
The Aeronautica Militare Italiana (Italian air force) prepared their airplanes to be easily boarded in a moment's notice in case of a terrorist strike. The Italian army scrambled anti-aircraft missiles around Vatican City, to the grudging dismay of the College of Cardinals. Marina Militare (Italian navy) warships were positioned along the shorelines of Italy armed with torpedoes. Gunboats ran up and down the rivers and waterways of Rome, including the Tiber River which flows around Vatican City.
One thousand snipers were positioned on strategic rooftops throughout the Italian capital as Carabinieri military police task forces swept aqueducts and drains for explosives. Helicopters were dispatched to scan the city streets from above. Plans to close Ciampino Airport from commercial flights and divert air traffic to and from Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport in Fiumicino were finalized for the day of the Mass of Requiem and Interment of Pope John Paul II. Other smaller civilian commuter and recreational airports were also shut down.
Italy has experience in dealing with terrorist strikes in the past. In the 1970s and 1980s, the nation was bloodied by several attacks. The strikes were planned and executed by political extremists on the opposite ends of the Italian political spectrum. Anti-terrorism task forces charged with securing the papal funeral however didn't see much of a threat from domestic terrorists like those that attacked Italians in the 1970s and 1980s.
References
- Pope John Paul Dies, World Mourns
- Daily Bulletin of the Holy See Press Office - No. 0184
- The Apostolic constitution of John Paul II, Supreme Pontiff, Universi Dominici Gregis: on the vacancy of the Apostolic See and the election of the Roman Pontiff
- Overhead satellite photography of crowd waiting to see the Pope lying in state (resolution 60cm / 2ft.
