09 April 2005

VATICAN CITY: More than 300 Lebanese citizens, many waving the national flag, gathered at Saint Peter's Square Friday to bid their beloved Pontiff a last goodbye. President Emile Lahoud attended the funeral ceremony of Pope John Paul II Friday with his wife Andree Lahoud. Following the ceremony, Lahoud said the turnout of so many world leaders to the Vatican for the farewell of the late Pope John Paul II proved once again "the privileged status of the Holy See in the hearts of people all over the world, regardless of race or religious affiliation."

The president praised the Pope as a "man who knew how to follow in the footsteps of Christ and become a living word, putting into practice what he believed in and not merely preaching."

Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir also took part in the ceremony and is expected to lead prayers on Sunday at the Santa Maria Cathedral.

Familiar cheers - chanted to the Pontiff when he visited Lebanon in 1997 - were chanted again by Lebanese as John John Paul II's body was carried out of Saint Peter's Basilica.

"John Paul II we love you!" they cheered in applause, while others sang "Ya Baba al-Abiad," ("Oh White Pope"), a Lebanese song composed for the Pontiff when he visited Lebanon.

"It's such a privilege for me to be here today," said Edward Atallah, a Lebanese businessman who came to Rome with his wife and three children to attend the Pontiff's funeral.

Like many other pilgrims who traveled to Saint Peter's Square to attend the ceremonies, Atallah had to camp with his family in the streets of Rome.

"The hotels were full, and we could not reserve a room ahead of time," he said.

On Friday morning, the streets leading to Saint Peter's Square resembled a huge campsite as hundreds of people from all over the world spent the night outdoors in their sleeping bags.

"We had the honor of him blessing our marriage five years ago," said Anita Karroum, 29, showing a picture of the Pontiff at her wedding, "we came from Lebanon to thank him."

Karroum said she and her husband flew to Rome on Tuesday and camped on the streets of Rome leading to Vatican City.

"We didn't have much sleep the first couple of nights as we queued for 14 hours outside Saint Peter's Basilica to get a final glimpse of the Pope's body," said Raymond, her husband.

Nada Bekhazi, 52, came with her sick mother all the way from Egypt, where she works, to be a part of the event.

"My mother is blind," Bekhazi said, "so I have been describing to her what is happening around us. I wouldn't have missed this for the world. Neither would my mother."

In Lebanon, church bells tolled across Beirut as constant live coverage of the ceremony was aired on every one of the country's television stations.

Catholic schools and faculties of the state Lebanese University were closed across the country in accordance with three days of national mourning for the Pope's death.

Private and public television stations broadcast the funeral procession live, with special commentators recounting the late Pontiff's achievements.

Hizbullah's Al-Manar channel only interrupted its coverage of the funeral for a few minutes to allow for the call of Friday weekly prayers.

- Additional reporting by Nafez Qawas