VATICAN CITY: THOUSANDS OF PILGRIMS CONTINUE TO QUEUE FOR CHANCE TO SEE POPE JOHN PAUL II LYING IN STATE
Record ID:
649191
VATICAN CITY: THOUSANDS OF PILGRIMS CONTINUE TO QUEUE FOR CHANCE TO SEE POPE JOHN PAUL II LYING IN STATE
- Title: VATICAN CITY: THOUSANDS OF PILGRIMS CONTINUE TO QUEUE FOR CHANCE TO SEE POPE JOHN PAUL II LYING IN STATE
- Date: 5th April 2005
- Summary: (W5) VATICAN CITY, VATICAN (APRIL 04, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. SLV CROWDS WAITING TO ENTER SAINT PETERS BASILICA; POLICE STOPPING CROWDS AS THEY MOVE FORWARD TO ENTER BASILICA (4 SHOTS) 0.23 2. SLV VATICAN PERSONAL GUARD OF THE POPE CONTROLLING CROWD AND TRYING TO GUIDE THEM AS THEY PUSH FORWARD; POLICE CONTROLLING CROWD AS IT MOVES FORWARD AND WALKING FORWARD INTO BASILICA (3 SHOTS) 0.37 3. SLV INTERIOR OF BASILICA, VARIOUS OF HUGE CROWDS WALKING IN FOR VIEWING; POPE LYING IN STATE AS PEOPLE WALK PAST HIM; SCU POPES FACE; PEOPLE QUEUING PAST POPES BODY; SCU POPE'S FACE (9 SHOTS) 1.23 4. SLV THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE WAITING TO GET INSIDE; HORDES STREAMING INTO ENTRANCE OF BASILICA; LINE AS IT TRAILS DOWN SAINT PETERS SQAURE; PEOPLE LINED UP FOR ONE KILOMETRE BACK; SCU PEOPLE IN LINE (5 SHOTS) 1.46 5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VALERIA, FROM ARGENTINA, SAYING: "What he wanted was for us the young to reign, he wanted the freedom of all, that we believe in God, that we are honest and sincere and the most important of all that we all help each other." 2.08 6. MV PEOPLE WAITING IN LINE SINGING AND WAVING HANDS 2.18 7. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JOHNATAN, FROM PANAMA, SAYING: "It is really a moment of great sadness but at the same time sadness goes away and there's joy to know that John Paul II is with the great God and that we are all here as a community of Catholics, and even those who are not Catholics are here to ask John Paul's grace. It is a very spiritual atmosphere." 2.42 8. MV PEOPLE IN QUEUE 2.43 9. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JAIRO, FROM COLOMBIA, SAYING: "I am very happy to be here [to see the pope]. It is my second time, the first one was in my country and now I have the chance to be here. [I am] sad for the loss of a great man but now I am hoping his words will keep me going." 3.11 10. M V HORDES OF PEOPLE WAITING IN LINE 11. WIDE VIEW OF SAINT PETERS SQUARE AS LINES GO IN 3.22 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 20th April 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: VATICAN CITY, VATICAN
- Reuters ID: LVA7P30YI5S80CW7O0KMK76PGK7M
- Story Text: Thousands of pilgrims continued to eagerly queue
through the evening for the chance to see Pope John Paul
II, lying for public viewing at Saint Peters Basilica.
As night fell on Vatican City on Monday (April 4, 2005),
hordes of pilgrims queued for long hours for a chance to
pay their respects to Pope John Paul II moved to St Peter's
Basilica for public viewing.
Many pilgrims planned to spend the evening at the
square to be close to their cherished religious leader who
led the church for more than two decades.
Scores of faithfull had been camping in the square
since early morning or even the previous evening and had
then spent several hours in line waiting to be allowed into
the basilica which opened to the public at 21:00 (19:00
gmt). Police estimated that more than 100,000 pilgrims had
lined up on the boulevard to enter the basilica.
"It is really a moment of great sadness but at the same
time sadness goes away and there's joy to know that John
Paul II is with the great God and that we are all here as a
community of Catholics, and even those who are not
Catholics are here to ask John Paul's grace. It is a very
spiritual atmosphere," said Johnathan of Panama.
Earlier in the day a crowd of hundreds of thousands
gathered to see his body moved in a solemn procession from
the Vatican. People broke out in tears, clapped and cheered
as the pontiff carried by pall bearers passed them.
John Paul clad in crimson and white vestments, has been
laid on red velvet bed and is flanked by Swiss guards in
front of the tomb of Saint Peter. Pilgrims filed past him
quickly, guards keeping the flow of people continuous in an
attempt to allow as many as possible to pass through.
He will lie in state until his funeral on Friday,
expected to draw the greatest tide of pilgrims and heads of
state to the Vatican in its history, drawn by the charisma
of the Pope who took his message to more nations than any
predecessor in two millennia. George W. Bush will be among
close to 200 world leaders to attend.
John Paul is to be buried in a crypt at the base of the
basilica, the traditional resting place of other pontiffs.
Vatican officials said the basilica would stay open on
an almost permanent basis for the viewing -- closing only a
few hours for cleaning -- to ensure everyone could see the
body before the funeral.
Rome authorities are braced for as many as 2 million
mourners for the funeral and thousands of security forces
were mobilised to protect the visiting dignitaries.
The death of the Pope at the age of 84 unleashed an
outpouring of grief far beyond the confines of the Vatican,
including tributes to his role in ending communist rule in
Eastern Europe.
But his uncompromising stance on social issues angered
many Catholics, especially in the developed world, who
often ignored his unyielding views on sexual morality.
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