A SIMPLE wooden coffin carrying the mortal remains of Pope John Paul II was the focus of the largest event in modern Christian history today.
Hundreds of world leaders joined millions of ordinary people who flooded into Rome to pay their last respects to the pontiff, who died last weekend at the age of 84.
Only a fraction of the mourners were able to get into St Peter's Square in Vatican City to witness the funeral mass, with all its pomp and ancient liturgical tradition.
Hundreds of thousands more watched on everything from tiny televisions to giant screens set up for the benefit of pilgrims across the Eternal City.
The Prince of Wales, who postponed his wedding to attend, was among the mourners, along with Tony Blair, George Bush and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams.
Tory leader Michael Howard and Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy were also there, as election campaigning in the UK was suspended as a mark of respect.
Dignitaries from at least 155 countries were in Rome, including President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, who used the occasion to sidestep a European Union travel ban.
Also present were the president of Iran, Mohammad Khatami, and Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei - both of them Muslims.
Applause rang out in St Peter's Square as the simple coffin, adorned with a cross, was brought out into the square from the basilica.
Groggy pilgrims who had camped out on the cobblestones awoke in their sleeping bags to hordes of the faithful stepping over them as they tried to secure a good spot to view the funeral mass in the square.
St Peter's Square and roads leading to it were a sea of red and white flags waved by pilgrims from John Paul's beloved Poland, many in traditional dress.
"We just wanted to say goodbye to our father for the last time," said Joanna Zmijewsla, 24, who travelled for 30 hours with her brother, Szymon, from a town near Kielce, Poland. They arrived at 1 am today.
American Archbishop James Harvey, head of papal protocol, greeted dignitaries and religious leaders as they emerged from St Peter's Basilica.
Turbans, fezzes, yarmulkes and black lace veils joined the zucchettos or skull caps of Catholic prelates in an extraordinary mix of religious and political leaders from around the world.
The funeral was being celebrated by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, dean of the College of Cardinals, a close confidant of John Paul and mentioned as a possible successor. After a series of hymns, readings and the homily, the cardinal called all to prayer by saying: "Dear brothers and sisters, let us entrust to the most gentle mercy of God, the soul of our Pope John Paul II."
Rome itself was at a standstill. Vehicle traffic in the centre was banned and airspace was closed. Anti-aircraft batteries outside the city were on alert. Naval ships patrolled the coast and the Tiber.
