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The body of Pope John Paul lies in state in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican April 5, 2005. Up to two million people are expected for the funeral on Friday as well as almost 200 world leaders in an unprecedented salute for a pontiff who helped bring down the Iron Curtain and stamped an uncompromising orthodoxy on his own faith. (Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters) |
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Mourners pour into St. Peter's Basilica past the crimson-robed body of Pope John Paul II in the Vatican April 5, 2005. A swelling, ceaseless tide of faithful streamed past the pope's body in a day and night vigil that will culminate on Friday in the biggest funeral in the history of the Roman Catholic Church. (Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters) |
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Mourners fill up St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, early Wednesday, April 6, 2005 as they wait to enter St. Peter's Basilica to say a personal farewell to Pope John Paul II. Rome is bracing for an unprecedented flow of pilgrims - some predict their number may match the city's own 3 million residents - in the days preceding Friday's funeral. (AP Photo/Diether Endlicher) |
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Mourners wrapped in blankets shelter from the cold on the road leading to St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, early Wednesday, April 6, 2005 as thousands head to St. Peter's Basilica to say a personal farewell to Pope John Paul II. Rome is bracing for an unprecedented flow of pilgrims - some predict their number may match the city's own 3 million residents - in the days preceding Friday's funeral. (AP Photo/Diether Endlicher) |
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A boy grimaces on the shoulders of his father as they stand in line ouside St. Peter's Basilica waiting to pay their final respects to Pope John Paul II in the Vatican City. Some half a million mourners have paid their final respects to Pope John Paul II as his body lies in state, as cardinals convened in secret for a second day (AFP/Andreas Solaro) |
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Nuns stand in line ouside St. Peter's Basilica waiting to pay their final respects to Pope John Paul II in the Vatican City. A sea of humanity packed the streets around St Peter's Basilica to bid a long farewell to Pope John Paul II as his body lies in state, and as cardinals convened in secret for a second day (AFP/Andreas Solaro) |
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Faithful pray in front of the body Pope John Paul II inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican City. (AFP/Patrick Hertzog) |
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First Lady Laura Bush (L), U.S. President George W. Bush and former presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice pay homage to Pope John Paul II, viewing the late pontiff's body in the Vatican's St. Peter's Basilica April 6, 2005. REUTERS/Osservatore Romano/Pool |
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U.S. President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush, left, stand after paying their respects to Pope John Paul II as his body lies in repose at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, Wednesday, April 6, 2005. The president is joined by, left to right, his father, former President George H.W. Bush, former President Bill Clinton, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who make up the official American delegation. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) |
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A satellite image taken on April 5, 2005 shows the line of mourners waiting to view Pope John Paul II's body inside St. Peters Basilica, in Rome. Italy appealed to pilgrims to stay away from central Rome on Wednesday, saying it was already saturated with millions of faithful desperate to see Pope John Paul's body ahead of Friday's funeral. Security officials said they would shortly have to shut off the huge queue of ordinary people who were waiting up to 14 hours to see the Pope, and warned that any new pilgrims would not be able to reach the church. NO ARCHIVE NO SALES EDITORIAL USE ONLY REUTERS/Mandatory credit - Digital Globe |