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Friday, 8 April, 2005, 16:38 GMT 17:38 UK

Pope's funeral marked across UK

Mourners in Trafalgar Square Roman Catholic mourners from across the UK have attended Masses to mark the funeral of Pope John Paul II in Rome.

A service at Westminster Cathedral coincided with the start of the Vatican ceremony, with requiem Masses also held in Birmingham and Liverpool.

Around 200 mourners gathered in Trafalgar Square to watch the funeral on a giant television screen.

Millions flocked to Rome for the three-hour funeral at which the Pope was interred in St Peter's crypt.

Among the 200 world leaders at the Vatican were Tony Blair and Prince Charles.

Tory leader Michael Howard and Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy also attended as general election campaigning was suspended as a mark of respect.

'A great man'

The Mass at Westminster Cathedral began with a peal of bells to mark the start of the Vatican service at 0900BST.

Mourners lit candles at a shrine to him in the Holy Soul's Chapel while others left messages in a book of condolence or knelt in prayer.

Eve Turton, a 78-year-old visitor from Liverpool, said: "He was a great man - it's a very sad day.

"Today is one of the events in history that will never be forgotten and I think he was adored by millions of people"
Maria Szczepankiewicz from London

Monks install TV for funeral

"I saw him when he came to Liverpool, which was an honour. I have lit a candle for him today."

Mike Farrelly, a 54-year-old sports promoter from London, was more upbeat, saying the 84-year-old Pope had "had a good innings".

"He had a good life," he said. "He served his community and was a good leader for the Church."

Mourners braved driving rain and the cold to watch the funeral in Trafalgar Square on a screen set up by the BBC.

Among them were Poles living in London who wanted to express their respect for the Pope, who has been praised as the country's greatest leader.

Maria Szczepankiewicz, 49, said she had tried to travel to Rome, but had been unable to find a flight or hotel.

"Today is one of the events in history that will never be forgotten and I think he was adored by millions of people," she said.

Bishop Philip Pargeter, the Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham, donned a vestment once worn by the Pope as he led a Mass at St Chad's Cathedral.

'Wisdom and dignity'

The Pope wore the red robe when he toured Coventry during his visit to Britain in 1982.

Mourners at Westminster Cathedral The bishop told a packed congregation that the Pope was "a teacher of great wisdom and dignity".

"He was a great adventurer who loved to be with people where they were. He wanted to reach out to them."

In Edinburgh, flags at the Scottish Parliament were flown at half-mast as 200 worshippers attended a regular lunch-time Mass at St Mary's Cathedral.

Cardinal Keith O'Brien and First Minister Jack McConnell represented Scotland at the funeral in Rome.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, was also there, as was the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.

One of the more unusual gatherings was taking place in Caldey Island, Wales, where a group of monks had a television installed at their monastery so they could watch the service.

The monks do not normally watch television but tuned in for the "one-off" event.

Members of Liverpool's Catholic community, one of the largest in Britain, gathered for a requiem Mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King on Friday evening.

In his sermon, the Archbishop of Liverpool, the Most Reverend Patrick Kelly, praised the Pope for giving himself "so completely to the Lord".

"He touched, even this side of death, the peace, serenity and joy that is the life of the world to come," he said.



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Catholic Church in England and Wales
Catholic Church in Scotland
The Vatican
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