A seething mass of pilgrims pushed their way into St Peter’s Square on Friday, desperate to secure a front-seat position for the funeral on Friday of Pope John Paul II. Police opened the square to the crowds at 7am, leading to a dangerous crush at the entrance before the crowd was shepherded toward metal detectors.
Daniela saw him as a statue, Giulia like her dead grandfather, and Chiara could not believe how such a great man could look so small. At least 100Â 000 mourners continued on Tuesday to queue for hours on end in and around St Peter’s Square, waiting for a fleeting moment to say goodbye to Pope John Paul II.