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An Italian tax police officer looks at the line of people crowding the street leading to St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, April 7, 2005. Police reopened the line to the Basilica Thursday, giving the faithful a final chance to pay respects to Pope John Paul II who died on Saturday, April 2, 2005 at the age of 84. The funerals of the pontiff will be held on Friday. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) |
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Pilgrims flow towards Saint Peter's Basilica to pay their last respects to the late Pope John Paul II at the Vatican, April 7, 2005. REUTERS/Yves Herman |
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A military helicopter flies over the dome of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, April 7, 2005. Italian authorities took special security measures to protect the dignitaries converging on Rome for the funerals of Pope John Paul II scheduled for Friday. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) |
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TV platforms set up on St Peter's Square in front of the Basilica at the Vatican City. Rome went into security clampdown as dozens of world leaders began arriving in a city already overwhelmed by millions of pilgrims for the funeral of Pope John Paul II. (AFP/Thomas Coex) |
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People in sleeping bags and blankets wake up in the early morning hours outside Saint Peter's Square to wait for entrance to the Basilica where the Pope lies in state at the Vatican, Thursday April 7, 2005. Police reopened St. Peter's Basilica to the faithful Thursday so they could pay respects to Pope John Paul II on the final day of public viewing, and cardinals made final preparations for a pomp-filled funeral drawing leaders from more than 100 countries. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) |
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Mourners huddle in sleeping bags along the collonade of the Vatican's St. Peter's Square April 7, 2005. Presidents, royalty and millions of pilgrims massed in Rome on Thursday for the funeral of Pope John Paul in the biggest gathering of the powerful and the humble in modern times. REUTERS/Jerry Lampen |
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Mourners sleep on a sidewalk as others queue to enter the Vatican's St. Peter's Basilica April 7, 2005 to pay respects to the late Pope John Paul II. Presidents, royalty and millions of pilgrims massed in Rome on Thursday for the funeral of the Pope in the biggest gathering of the powerful and the humble in modern times. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini |
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People walk on Saint Peter's Square waiting to enter the Basilica where the Pope lies in state at the Vatican, Thursday April 7, 2005. Despite the fact that the line was officially closed on Wednesday evening, thousands of pilgrims were still filing into the Basilica to say their last farewell to the late Pope John Paul II who died on Saturday, April 2, 2005 at the age of 84. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) |
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Mourners wait at Saint Peter's Square to enter the Basilica where the body of the late Pope lies in state at the Vatican April 7, 2005. Presidents and pilgrims are due to pile into Rome on Thursday, creating a logistical nightmare for the city as it prepares for Pope John Paul II's funeral on Friday, the biggest in modern history. REUTERS/Alessia Pierdomenico |