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Pope John Paul II Moved to St. Peter's Basilica; Crowds Amass in Rome to Mourn Pope

Aired April 04, 2005 - 10:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Rick Sanchez. What an amazing visual we're going to be sharing with you. And it's going to happen probably, we're told now, within the next 15 minutes to a half hour. It's going to be the body of Pope John Paul II. It's going to be moved to St. Peter's Basilica for public viewing. As many as two million mourners are expected to pour into Rome just this week to pay their respects.

The pope's funeral now is set for Friday at 4:00 a.m. Eastern time. CNN is reporting live from Vatican City and Rome all throughout this week and, of course, on that day. But when the pope's body is moved, we're going to bring you that live, as well, as you can see with these pictures and these cameras that are already in place.

Another story we're following on this day, Minutemen volunteers begin regular patrols today along the 23-mile stretch of Arizona's border with Mexico. They got an early start Saturday, citing a group of illegal immigrants. Authorities made 18 arrests; however, some law enforcement officials are concerned the volunteer patrols could lead to vigilante justice.

An investigation is underway this morning into the cause of an Amtrak train derailment in Washington state. At least 26 people were injured in the accident yesterday along the Columbia River gorge. Amtrak hopes to have the line back in service, they say, by sometime tomorrow.

And then there's the Michael Jackson molestation case, taking yet another twist when the trial resumes sometime later this morning. The prosecution plans to begin introducing evidence of Jackson's alleged misconduct with other young boys. Before dawn this morning, about 100 fans dressed in white gathered outside the courthouse for a candlelight vigil.

KAGAN: Millions of mourners are expected in Rome this week during the nine-day mourning period for Pope John Paul II. In a short time, the pope's body will be moved in a solemn procession to St. Peter's Basilica for public viewing. You're going to see those pictures live right here on CNN.

The pope's funeral is scheduled for Friday morning. He apparently left no instructions for his burial. It's expected his body will be buried at St. Peter's. For more as we anticipate the movement of the pope's body, let's go back to Rome and our Bill Hemmer -- Bill?

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Daryn, thanks for that. Later tonight, 8:00 Rome time, 2:00 there in Atlanta, Daryn, the public viewing will begin officially in St. Peter's Basilica. As we build toward that event, we're also building toward this public procession that will take place in St. Peter's Square behind me. Based on the schedule we have from the Vatican, that should start within about 15 minutes.

As we wait for that, though, we want to talk again about the people who have come here. Many of them are pilgrims, many of them are tourists, many are just folks who are from Rome or perhaps from the country of Italy, who come here to St. Peter's Square by day and by night. They shared with us last night, at the close of day one during this mourning period, about what this special time means to them.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are so many people in the Vatican, yet there's just this calm and this peace that's over each one and everybody in the whole place. People are talking, but it's very solemn and quiet.

REV. GERALD RUANE, NEW JERSEY: The first time I saw him, I said something in Polish, not in very good Polish. So at least I got a smile. So anyway.

HEMMER (on camera): And a good memory?

RUANE: Good memory, too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I saw this on TV, and I saw this look in people's eyes, and said let me go there and see if it's like, you know, what it is. And now I have that look in my eyes. I feel really, really sad. Just -- he was the people's pope.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everything around you as you approached him went into slow motion, as if you're in this bubble. It was truly a holy moment.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: We are well into day two here. 4:30 in the afternoon. And again, I mention the public procession that will begin any moment now. As we await on that, I want to introduce another friend of ours here, Jonathan Morris, Father Jonathan Morris, who's been with us off and on for several days now.

Hello again to you. This is a pope who loved a crowd. Do you think he would like the crowd that's building for him now?

REV. JONATHAN MORRIS, LEGIONARIES OF CHRIST SEMINARY: You know, I've been thinking about that myself. It's hard to see him being processed into St. Peter's, knowing the situation that all of us find ourselves in. It's kind of like looking at your grandfather at the wake. It's tough. You look at him, you say this is not the person that I knew. But I'm sure that John Paul II is looking down from heaven now knowing, yes, I'm glad they are doing this, because it's good for them.

Remember, we have the images in our minds when he would be processed through streets in Mexico City, for example, his arms lifted up. We say, is that -- is it proud of him to be doing that? No. We wanted it. We needed it. We needed contact with him. These days it's a very different type of contact, but also we're very grateful to him for allowing us to be with him in these moments.

HEMMER: You know, I'm curious. You've been here every day. Do you notice a difference from day-to-day? Do you have a different feeling today that you did not have at this point yesterday?

MORRIS: You know, I'm just so glad that we can take our time. It does seem like a long time, especially for those of us that have been up for a lot of days. But I think there's still that sense of mourning. We're allowing that to happen. So some moments there's talk, others are not. But I'm glad we have the time.

HEMMER: Will you attend the public viewing? Is that a moment that you want to have for yourself personally?

MORRIS: I certainly do, certainly do. I want to be there with him, and I want to say my last good-byes to him. At the same time, he's been the communicator, and I think we have a responsibility to communicate for John Paul II in these moments. That's what you're doing and that's what I'm trying to do, and I think he's happy because of this.

HEMMER: We'll see how many crowd into this city, this great city that will fill up by the day. Thank you, Father.

MORRIS: You're welcome.

HEMMER: We'll talk again.

MORRIS: Thanks, Bill.

HEMMER: I mentioned the crowds. They do anticipate a good crowd of about two million coming into Rome throughout the week here. Whether or not we can verify those numbers -- well, honestly we can't at this moment. These are just these city officials getting ready. And Daryn, I can tell you, they're shipping in extra water, there are extra train schedules running now and there is the strong possibility these giant tent cities could be set up here in Rome to house those who need the housing.

And the other thing that will be quite interesting, as we go throughout the week, they're setting up huge video screens throughout Rome. A number of them are already in different corners of St. Peter's Square. But when we came out earlier today, we saw this black screen set up to my right. That is just another way that they can project the image of Pope John Paul II and the funeral that we anticipate in about four and a half days from now. Just so you're following at home, the schedule is, as we understand, the public procession will begin any moment and then later tonight, almost four hours away from now, we'll get the public viewing to begin here at St. Peter's Square. Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: And Bill, you might not have exact numbers about how many people have gathered there, but you're going to now go down into the crowd and when we come back to you next time, we'll be going live to you among the people who have shown up to pay their respects to this pope.

HEMMER: All right. We'll see you then.

KAGAN: All right. In just a minute.

President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush say they plan to attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II. Our Elaine Quijano joins us with more details on that from the White House. Elaine, good morning.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn. That's right. White House officials say that President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush are planning to leave on Thursday, or possibly even earlier on Wednesday, for Rome in order to attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II. Now, the first couple will be leading the U.S.' delegation and we're told that the details of that delegation are still being finalized. That list still being worked on. But we are expecting to see it later today.

Now over the weekend, the president said that the Catholic Church had lost its shepherd and he called the pope one of history's great moral leaders. In fact, the two were in synch on social issues like gay marriage and abortion, but the pope staunchly opposed the Iraq War. The pope also opposed the death penalty, which the president supports. Nevertheless, aides say, the president had tremendous respect for the pope and again, set to travel to Rome to pay his respects.

Now while the White House is working to finalize those details, President Bush today is hosting the leader of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko. Now, the story of Viktor Yushchenko is one that the president has hailed as an example of how freedom can transform countries. In fact, the leader arriving here at the White House just a short time ago.

His rise to power reads like a mystery novel. Last year someone tried to poison him using dioxin, leaving his face scarred. He survived that and eventually was elected president after throngs of supporters held demonstrations in the Ukraine, demanding new elections because of reports of widespread fraud.

Now, the White House views the Ukraine as a key ally with troops right now in Iraq. And we are expecting to see the two leaders come before reporters in the East room of the White House. Daryn, we're told that's set to take place about an hour from now -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Elaine Quijano, live from the White House, thank you. HEMMER: One of the other stories we're following today, rising prices and troubling ratings. Wait until you hear the details from a new review of the nation's most popular airlines. That, and we're going to have a check of the markets, as well. All this for you after the break.

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KAGAN: As the world mourns the death of the beloved pope, many are looking back at his life and his amazing tenure. CNN.com has compiled a comprehensive set of facts, such as the trips that Pope John Paul II made and the requirements for those who might succeed him.

Here now, CNN.com's Christina Park.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINA PARK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He came from humble beginnings and became the spiritual leader of the world's 1 billion Roman Catholics. We remember Pope John Paul II in our online special at CNN.com/pope. Carl Wojtyla became Pope John Paul II in 1978, the first ever Slavic pope, and the first non-Italian to be elected to the post in 455 years. As the most well-traveled pope, he flew more than 700,000 miles. That's equal to more than 28 times around the world. We've documented his travels through his 26 years of service.

Our special also looks ahead to who might become the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Learn about the requirements, such as age, or which languages a pontiff must speak, English and Italian being mandatory. Study the current procedures to elect the next spiritual leader and meet the potential successors in our interactive biography.

As the world mourns the loss of Pope John Paul II, we invite you to share his life and works at CNN.com/pope.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: We're going to be having that for you. By the way, speaking of the pope, we're being told it might be moved up. Maybe in the next 15 to 20 minutes you're going to be seeing this picture. That's right in the middle of St. Peter's Square. But you're also going to be seeing the pope's body being moved from one side to the other. He's actually going to be going over to St. Peter's Basilica, and we're going to have that for you as it happens. Quite a moment. It's going to be unfolding there.

KAGAN: Meanwhile, there's already great anticipation about who could be the next pope. Few places on the planet are as sacred or as secretive as the Vatican. The process of selecting the next pope is no exception. A behind-the-scenes look at that process is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) SANCHEZ: It's the Sala. You've heard the solarium, essentially like the living room in your home. It's a big, open space, right there, where the pope is now, and where he enjoyed entertaining. He's going to go through a series of doors, and then staircases, and eventually through the square into the bronze doors, into St. Peter's Basilica. Of course the importance of St. Peter's Basilica, named after St. Peter, Catholics believe the very first pope, and of course one of the very first -- one of the first 12 apostles. He was actually crucified there on Vatican Hill, and buried at the very place, according to Catholic tradition, where the pope will now lie in state.

KAGAN: So the first movement that we've seen is the movement of the Swiss Guard. We have our Alessio Vinci standing by in Rome to chime in now, and tell us more about what we can expect to see in the next few minutes. Alessio?

All right.

SANCHEZ: We just lost his audio.

KAGAN: We're working on finding him and getting that to work.

While we wait for more movement to take place and for the ceremony to officially begin, let's talk about what's going to happen in the coming weeks. Within two weeks after the pope is laid to rest, selected cardinals will meet to choose the next leader of the Catholic Church. The conclave is conducted in secret, under the rules steeped in centuries of history and tradition.

Our Anderson Cooper has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Today, the leaders of the Catholic Church, its cardinals are remembering the pope they have lost. Most of them were chosen by John Paul II. Most of them share his view of the world and a view of him in it.

CARDINAL ROGER MICHAEL MAHONEY, ARCHBISHOP OF LOS ANGELES: He was such a brilliant light for the world.

COOPER: But in a matter of days, their thoughts will turn to electing the pope who will lead them into the future.

CARDINAL J. FRANCIS STAFFORD, FORMER ARCHBISHOP OF DENVER: And that future is unknown to us at this point. But it has to be radically rooted in the magnificent teachings that the Holy Father has given to us.

COOPER: They'll go into what's called the conclave, from the Latin "conclavis" - with key. Canon law dictates that this official election process begin 15 to 20 days after the pope dies.

For many, the Vatican is a museum. But during this time, during this interregnum period, it is a living, breathing place. The cardinals from all around the world are coming here to Vatican City, where just a few hundred feet from here in the Sistine Chapel, they will meet behind closed doors. The doors will be locked, sealed with wax on either side. And inside, under Michelangelo's masterpiece, they will decide who is the next pope.

But first, the Sistine Chapel will be swept for bugs, recording devices and any other means of electronic surveillance - all in an effort to keep the proceedings completely secret.

The foundation for today's conclave traditions date all the way back to 1274, after the church went without a pope for nearly three years.

When Pope Gregory X was finally chosen, he decreed that in future elections, cardinals would be locked in the chapel until a new pope was named.

But this year, thanks to changes made by Pope John Paul II, the cardinals will be able to retire each night in comfort. That's because, for the first time in history, they'll be permitted to leave the chapel so they can sleep in a nearby dormitory, known as Casa Santa Marta, which will also be swept for bugs.

During the daytime, the cardinals will vote twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon - handwriting their choice for pope on ballots, inscribed with the words, "Eligo in Summum Pontificem" - I elect as supreme pontiff.

Between the votes, there'll be discussions - genteel politicking.

CARDINAL THEODORE E. MCCARRICK, ARCHBISHOP OF WASHINGTON: I can't do nuances in Italian. And, you know, sometimes nuances are the most important things in situations like this. So, I would hope that I could speak English or Spanish. I can do nuances in Spanish.

But we'll see.

COOPER: If no candidate receives two-thirds of the vote, the ballots and tally sheets will be burned in a little stove just off the Sistine Chapel, sending black smoke up a 60-foot pipe.

A plume of black smoke means, we are still without a pope.

But when a candidate does receive two-thirds of the vote, chemicals will be added to the burning ballots to make the smoke appear white, and signal that a new pontiff has been chosen.

The new pope will be asked if he accepts his appointment, and led into a small room just off the Sistine Chapel called the Chapel of Tears, to reflect the heavy burden the pope will carry.

Inside he'll find papal robes in small, medium and large. Once dressed, the new pope will greet the cardinals and walk toward this balcony facing St. Peter's Square. Leading him will be the cardinal deacon, whose job it is to announce to the anxious crowd, "Habemus Papam" - we have a pope.

Then the new pontiff will greet the faithful and give his first blessing to the City of Rome and the rest of the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: I know you see that picture just underneath St. Peter's Square, that is where moments from now, we're being told, the pope's body will be moved all the way from the palace, which is essentially the pope's home, his apartment, where he lives -- there's 1,000 rooms in that large building -- across St. Peter's Square, over to St. Peter's Basilica.

Let's talk to Alessio Vinci now. He's been following the story. He's our Rome correspondent, and he's going to bring us up to date on when this is going to take place and exactly what is going to take place, and also, I imagine, the significance of this on this day.

Alessio, over to you.

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you, Rick. Well, we're getting a little bit of a taste here what to expect in the coming days. This is the first time we actually are going to see, or the people will be able to see the body of the pope in St. Peter's Square after he died on Saturday night. I'm going to step out of the way here one second to give you a bit of a sense of how full this area here surrounding St. Peter's Square is.

This is (INAUDIBLE), which is the main boulevard leading up to St. Peter's Square, where technically, Vatican City begins. I am actually in Italian territory. I am in Rome right now. There where the square begins, that's where the Vatican begins, and there are literally tens of thousands of people, and many more are coming. And as you can probably see, there are also some ambulances. There security officials have already sealed the area. Whoever is in the square right now stays there. Whoever didn't get there cannot get in there, and we do expect in the coming moment for the pope to emerge from the Apostolic Palace through what is known as the bronze door, which is one door on the right-hand side of the St. Peter's Basilica, of the St. Peter's Square, through the door, the pope, possibly flanked by the Swiss Guards, will go through the St. Peter's Square, where tens of thousands of people, as you can see, are ready to see the pope, and then it will be brought back into the St. Peter's Basilica, where the lying in state will begin in earnest this evening at 8:00 p.m. Local time.

We understand that the pope will be laid in state, in the Olano (ph) room inside of St. Peter's Basilica. As soon as the body goes back in there, the Cardinal Camerlengo (ph), who actually is the same cardinal who has to officially certify, who had to officially certify, the death of the pope on Saturday evening, will say, will pray for the pope, will say the liturgy of the word, and then afterwards, the doors of St. Peter's Basilica will be opened to all the people who are arriving here in St. Peter's Square, and here in Rome in the past few days to be able to pay the last respects to the pope. We do understand that the St. Peter's Basilica will remain open throughout the day and throughout the night with a small exception of three hours between 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. in the morning. We understand from Vatican officials this is because of technical reasons, possibly to clean up a little bit the area there as you can imagine. Tens of thousands of people. Hundreds of thousands more expected here in Rome in the coming days. We do understand from Italian officials that up to two million people are expected here. And on Friday, in addition to that, there are expected at least hundreds heads of state, including as you know, the U.S. president, George W. Bush.

Security will be extremely tight, extremely complicated to organize. I've been here many times covering the arrival of the visit of one head of state, and like the president, for example, they shut down the entire city. Now, when the president and a hundred dignitaries or so will be here, I can tell you it will be an immense security challenge.

Rick, back to you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The basilica is the place where the pope many times celebrated the Eucharist and where the pope, the successor of the Apostle Peter, and above the tomb of Peter, spoke to the world. Now we can see that the body has been placed, and has those red garments, which are the colors, the liturgical colors, which the church...

SANCHEZ: We should tell you, once again -- I think we had an audio glitch there, I'm not sure. But those are live pictures that we're getting in from Vatican TV. And this is all part of the process that we've been sharing with you now of the actual procession, which is about to begin, where the pope's bad is going to be taken from the Apostolic Palace. The Apostolic Palace is this place you are looking at right now. It has some 1,000 rooms.

Most significantly, of course, aside from the museums and the Sistine Chapel and all the things we've heard about before, is the fact that this is where the pope lived. This is where his apartment was. This is where he's been laying and resting. Now his body will be taken from this particular point.

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: That man you see right there is Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo. He's a very important part of this procession. He's the one who had the task of preparing the pope's body. In fact, it was even part of his task at the very beginning, when the pope was found to have been deceased by medical officials, to actually go with a silver mallet and tap him, according to tradition, on the forehead to see if, in fact, he had passed away. This is, again, a tradition that has gone on for thousands of years.

He will now begin this procession with some words. Let's see. Let's go ahead and dip into this and see if this is part of his homily.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Blessed be god of father, Jesus Christ, our father who consoles us in our troubles. The hope of Christ, who is risen from the dead, may he be with all of you.

And now the cardinal will sprinkle holy water over the body.

In that procession of saints, I will go to the home of god. This is in the words of the antiphon.

Brothers and sisters, we great emotion, we accompany the body of the Roman pontiff, John Paul II, to the Vatican Basilica, where he often held his ministry as bishop of the Church in Rome and as pastor of the universal Church.

Whilst we leave this house, we thank the lord for the great and numerous gifts which, through his servant, Pope John Paul II, were given to the Christian people. And we pray to him to be merciful. And may the pontiff be granted eternal rest. And may he have hope for the pontifical family and the people in Rome and all the faithful throughout the world.

And here's the prayer. In Latin, look down, oh lord, upon your servant John Paul. Welcome him in your home of eternal light and peace. And grant your faithful to follow with fervor those stages that he has prepared. And may this be throughout forever and ever.

And now, the deacon invites the people attending to follow for the procession. The eminencies, the cardinals and priests are invited to begin the procession.

Arrangements are made, and instructions on how this procession is to proceed. And the eminencies, the cardinals, the Swiss Guards, who protected and helped the pope are now next to his body, to his mortal body.

The procession is beginning, is about to move. After almost 27 years, the pope is now leaving his home.

Psalm 22 is what is being sung. "The good shepherd, the lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing."

SANCHEZ: This is the procession which has now begun, you have been hearing some of the members of Vatican TV describing. Let us tell you now what you're going to be seeing over the next several minutes.

This is the beginning of the procession of the pope's body. It's being taken from that Sala Clementina, which is the place right there in the Apostolic Palace. This is the place where the pope has lived for oh so many years. Now it's going to be taken out the doors and through St. Peter's Square, eventually ending up in St. Peter's Basilica.

The reason they're taking it there is so that other members of the public, all the thousands of people who will be coming from throughout the world, can give one final goodbye, one final viewing of Pope John Paul II. We will let you share this moment with us.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to keep these amazing pictures up as the procession takes place, moving the pope's body through St. Peter's Square. It's about to go into the outdoors among the thousands of faithful that have gathered to pay their respects. Among those people, our Bill Hemmer is there.

Bill, earlier, as I understand it, you had a chance actually to go into the room. You were invited, one of the select few to have a viewing with the pope before the body was moved.

BILL HEMMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At the Apostolic Palace, you're exactly right, and the Hall of Clementine as they refer to it in English here, Daryn.

I'm able to see what you're seeing at home based on the giant video monitors that are set up here in St. Peter's Square. And this is an absolutely extraordinary sight.

The bells are tolling around the Vatican. Giant speakers have been set up to pump in the music that you now hear at home. And when they lifted the pope's body inside that hall, that begins what will be a very long procession through the palace, which is a huge building in its own right. Somewhat of a maze just to figure out how to work your way around there.

When we were there earlier today, we had an extraordinary opportunity to pay our final respects to Pope John Paul II. You're not allowed to spend much time there. A little less than a minute, but enough time to be able to take in the moment and the gravity of this time for the Catholic Church.

He had a rosary in his hand. The crimson vestments that you have seen adorned to both sides of his body. His red shoes can be seen as well, and a bishop's miter hat tops his head.

There is a candle burning to the right. And there is a large crucifix set off to the left-hand side.

And inside this room, that earlier we compared to the size of a basketball court, are the most beautiful frescos you will ever see in your life on the ceilings and on the walls and on the marble floors as well. And there was such a -- such a display of respect and dignity on behalf of everyone who had the opportunity to be in there. And you can see so many people crying, literally in tears as they left -- as they left that hall.

What you're seeing here now, Daryn, in a second here, I'm going to use these binoculars, just because the screen is a little far away from me. But as they exit the palace, which is just off to the right here across St. Peter's Square, they'll come down another set of steps. And there are a series of courtyards inside that palace as well.

Then eventually, we'll see the pope's body return to the square where he has found essentially his home for the past 26 years. As they continue, let's listen again.

KAGAN: We continue to witness an incredible sight, listen to incredible sounds as the procession continues of Pope John Paul II. They are moving his body into St. Peter's Square and into St. Peter's Basilica. In so many ways the pictures and sounds speak for themselves. Yet, to put some context around it, and to explain exactly what we're seeing, let's bring in our Vatican analyst, John Allen, who joins us now from Rome -- John.

JOHN ALLEN, CNN VATICAN ANALYST: Well, these are some remarkable images we're seeing, obviously. It's a deeply moving final voyage, so to speak, for this hope who traveled the highways and byways of the world, 129 countries, 140 -- 104, rather, trips. But this is his final trip, on his way to his resting place in the grotto of St. Peter's Basilica.

It's worth noting that this will be the last time that John Paul II is inside the Apostolic Palace, this building in which his apartments are located, where he spent almost 27 years of his papacy. This is also the first time the cardinals have been ceremoniously gathered together since the death of the pope.

Of course they had a business meeting earlier this morning. Some 65 cardinals were present, others continuing to arrive in Rome. But this is their first ceremonial event since the death of the pope.

And, of course, we've seen the cardinals wearing their scarlet crimson garments, accompanying -- paying their respects to the pope and now accompanying the procession as John Paul II makes his way from the Sala Clementina, where his body lay in state earlier this morning for private viewing, on its way to St. Peter's Basilica for what will certainly be a massive, massive turnout of people wanting to say farewell to this pope who meant so much to all of them.

KAGAN: John, we see the cardinals, we see the members of the Swiss Guard. Who are the men who are in tuxedos who have the honor of carrying the pope's body?

ALLEN: Those are the Papal Gentlemen. These are members of distinguished Roman and Italian families, many of whom have been connected to the papacy in some way for centuries, who are selected to assist the pope in various ceremonial functions.

So, for example, when there are private audiences inside this building, the Apostolic Palace, they will assist with making sure that people are seated, making sure that the people come up to meet the pope, they're introduced properly and so forth. They also greet visiting dignitaries on behalf of the pope.

So, for example, on the three occasions when President George Bush came to meet Pope John Paul II, it was the Papal Gentleman who he was first greeted by. Then the pope's public secretary, Archbishop James Harvey, and finally, of course, the holy father himself.

And so these are the men who, every time the pope had an event in the palace, were by his side, taking care of his needs. Here on John Paul's farewell to the Apostolic Palace, his final event, so to speak, in this building that was the very heart of his pontificate, they are once again at his side making sure that he has what he needs. KAGAN: The enormity of the event, as we were saying, his final journey. Let's listen and watch.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): And here now the body of the pontiff was turned around towards the square so that the faithful could see him in the square, and in (INAUDIBLE), almost as if he is speaking. Although dead, he still speaks. So let us listen to his message.

And now, the body of John Paul II go through the door and enters the basilica, where he will remain until the funeral on Friday. To then after the requiem mass to be taken to the place of burial. The basilica of St. peter's welcomes the pope, and there is light to welcome the shepherd.

(SPEAKING ITALIAN)

KAGAN: And so the procession of the body of Pope John Paul II continues. We watched as it made its way and the procession through st. Peter's Square, and now into St. Peter's Basilica. To understand more of what we're seeing, also what we're hearing, let's bring back our Vatican analyst John Allen -- John.

JOHN ALLEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What we have just seen, of course, is the body of John Paul II being brought into St. Peter's basilica. I'm sure you saw that moment where before they actually crossed the threshold and entered the basilica, the body was turned around so the pope could face the people, the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square, and all the way down to (INAUDIBLE). That's the broad street leading up to the basilica here in Rome. The Vatican estimates that over the course of John Paul's pontificate, some 15 million people gathered in that square, or in the audience hall, to take part in audiences, the Wednesday audiences, given by John Paul II.

And this was one last opportunity for this public who turned out so regularly and in such large numbers to hear the pope -- to see him and say good bye. And now they're processing down the central nave, or the central aisle, of the basilica, to the spot where the pope will lie in state for the throngs of people who are expected over the course of the next few days, leading up to the funeral on Friday, to come through the basilica to pay their respects. It's worth noting that John Paul II, the only thing one could say, he was a magnet for humanity.

There was a connection between this pope and the people of the world that really surpasses, I think, the experience of any other pope in church history. He would draw millions anywhere he went. He will draw millions one last time, undoubtedly, over the course of these next several days.

KAGAN: John Allen, with us from Rome.

We're continuing to watch his historic ceremony. Let's watch and let's listen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Give the home road justice and peace, comfort and enlighten your holy church.

Send new workers. Protect the bishops and you will all the ministers of the gospel. Give all Christians unity in faith. Lead all peoples to the truth of the gospel.

The pasqual (ph) (INAUDIBLE) and the flame is the light by the body of the pope. The pope, although dead, speaks and continues to speak.

Come saints of God. Come angels and welcome his soul and lift it up to the throne, the almighty.

The body will be, once again, blessed by holy water by the chamberlain and then incense. The responsorial will be sung and may the angels, with Abraham, lift his soul up to heaven and reach the throne of the Almighty.

Prayers are sung in Latin.

Christ, welcome you and the angels will lead you to paradise, like Abraham.

May the angels lift you up to heaven. The priest will now proclaim the gospel.

I want them to be where I am.

Eternal rest grant upon him, Oh, Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

Prayers continue in Latin.

The Lord be with you, and with your spirit. The gospel according to John.

At that time, Jesus, lift up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, I want that, although this can be -- you have given me, can be with me, so that they can contemplate my glory, what you had given me because you loved me before creation of the world.

Just Father, the world did not recognize you, but I did recognize you. These people know that you have sent me. And I let them know your name, because the love by which you loved me is also in them, and I in them. The word of the Lord.

Now, there will be the universal prayer in Latin. Dear brothers and sisters, may our deceased pastor be welcomed, and may our faith increase in the resurrection of the dead.

Let us say together, we pray to you, hear us, oh Lord, for the deceased pope, John Paul II, the supreme pastor who is always living, may he intercede for us and welcome in the kingdom of light and peace. Hear us, oh Lord, graciously hear us, oh Lord. For the church, the holy church of God, faithful to the mandate in the view of Christ, and let us pray, hear us, oh Lord. Graciously hear us, oh Lord. From the peoples of all nations in the respect of justice, may they form one family in peace and be united by fraternal feelings. Hear us, oh Lord. Lord graciously hear us.

For all of us who are gathered here in prayer, may we be one day in the kingdom of Heaven, Lord hear us, Lord graciously hear us.

Our Father, who art in Heaven, in Latin: Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be on Earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespass, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Oh Lord, our salvation, listen to us, who are praying to you, together with all the saints, and welcome in the assembly of your elected, welcome our pope, John Paul, who trusted in the prayer of the church, for Christ, our Lord. Eternal rest grant upon him, Oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. And with this prayer, eternal rest may be given to him, and may perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. This is the end of the liturgy. From this moment, there is going to be a long pilgrimage, day and night.

Next to the body of the pontiff, those who cannot come to Rome these days, will have the grace. It is a grace and a gift. I repeat this to everybody, to be able to watch what is happening at home and reflect, pray, see, watch and pay their respects to he who had done so much good during his long life. By his prayers, by his suffering, he had been a reference point for each person on the face of the Earth, regardless of the color of the skin, language, nationality, nation, religion. And now, let us think and reflect, once again, on the letters and these words, although dead, he still speaks. John Paul II, although he is dead, he continues to speak to us.

He holds in his arm that pastoral cross, which accompanied him during all of his journeys and trips all over the world. Now, thanks to these means, to the needier, his picture, in the sleep of death, reaches everybody all over the world and penetrates our minds and touches our hearts.

Prayers continue to be sung in Latin.

(SINGING)

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Aired April 4, 2005 - 10:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Rick Sanchez. What an amazing visual we're going to be sharing with you. And it's going to happen probably, we're told now, within the next 15 minutes to a half hour. It's going to be the body of Pope John Paul II. It's going to be moved to St. Peter's Basilica for public viewing. As many as two million mourners are expected to pour into Rome just this week to pay their respects.

The pope's funeral now is set for Friday at 4:00 a.m. Eastern time. CNN is reporting live from Vatican City and Rome all throughout this week and, of course, on that day. But when the pope's body is moved, we're going to bring you that live, as well, as you can see with these pictures and these cameras that are already in place.

Another story we're following on this day, Minutemen volunteers begin regular patrols today along the 23-mile stretch of Arizona's border with Mexico. They got an early start Saturday, citing a group of illegal immigrants. Authorities made 18 arrests; however, some law enforcement officials are concerned the volunteer patrols could lead to vigilante justice.

An investigation is underway this morning into the cause of an Amtrak train derailment in Washington state. At least 26 people were injured in the accident yesterday along the Columbia River gorge. Amtrak hopes to have the line back in service, they say, by sometime tomorrow.

And then there's the Michael Jackson molestation case, taking yet another twist when the trial resumes sometime later this morning. The prosecution plans to begin introducing evidence of Jackson's alleged misconduct with other young boys. Before dawn this morning, about 100 fans dressed in white gathered outside the courthouse for a candlelight vigil.

KAGAN: Millions of mourners are expected in Rome this week during the nine-day mourning period for Pope John Paul II. In a short time, the pope's body will be moved in a solemn procession to St. Peter's Basilica for public viewing. You're going to see those pictures live right here on CNN.

The pope's funeral is scheduled for Friday morning. He apparently left no instructions for his burial. It's expected his body will be buried at St. Peter's. For more as we anticipate the movement of the pope's body, let's go back to Rome and our Bill Hemmer -- Bill?

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Daryn, thanks for that. Later tonight, 8:00 Rome time, 2:00 there in Atlanta, Daryn, the public viewing will begin officially in St. Peter's Basilica. As we build toward that event, we're also building toward this public procession that will take place in St. Peter's Square behind me. Based on the schedule we have from the Vatican, that should start within about 15 minutes.

As we wait for that, though, we want to talk again about the people who have come here. Many of them are pilgrims, many of them are tourists, many are just folks who are from Rome or perhaps from the country of Italy, who come here to St. Peter's Square by day and by night. They shared with us last night, at the close of day one during this mourning period, about what this special time means to them.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are so many people in the Vatican, yet there's just this calm and this peace that's over each one and everybody in the whole place. People are talking, but it's very solemn and quiet.

REV. GERALD RUANE, NEW JERSEY: The first time I saw him, I said something in Polish, not in very good Polish. So at least I got a smile. So anyway.

HEMMER (on camera): And a good memory?

RUANE: Good memory, too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I saw this on TV, and I saw this look in people's eyes, and said let me go there and see if it's like, you know, what it is. And now I have that look in my eyes. I feel really, really sad. Just -- he was the people's pope.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everything around you as you approached him went into slow motion, as if you're in this bubble. It was truly a holy moment.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: We are well into day two here. 4:30 in the afternoon. And again, I mention the public procession that will begin any moment now. As we await on that, I want to introduce another friend of ours here, Jonathan Morris, Father Jonathan Morris, who's been with us off and on for several days now.

Hello again to you. This is a pope who loved a crowd. Do you think he would like the crowd that's building for him now?

REV. JONATHAN MORRIS, LEGIONARIES OF CHRIST SEMINARY: You know, I've been thinking about that myself. It's hard to see him being processed into St. Peter's, knowing the situation that all of us find ourselves in. It's kind of like looking at your grandfather at the wake. It's tough. You look at him, you say this is not the person that I knew. But I'm sure that John Paul II is looking down from heaven now knowing, yes, I'm glad they are doing this, because it's good for them.

Remember, we have the images in our minds when he would be processed through streets in Mexico City, for example, his arms lifted up. We say, is that -- is it proud of him to be doing that? No. We wanted it. We needed it. We needed contact with him. These days it's a very different type of contact, but also we're very grateful to him for allowing us to be with him in these moments.

HEMMER: You know, I'm curious. You've been here every day. Do you notice a difference from day-to-day? Do you have a different feeling today that you did not have at this point yesterday?

MORRIS: You know, I'm just so glad that we can take our time. It does seem like a long time, especially for those of us that have been up for a lot of days. But I think there's still that sense of mourning. We're allowing that to happen. So some moments there's talk, others are not. But I'm glad we have the time.

HEMMER: Will you attend the public viewing? Is that a moment that you want to have for yourself personally?

MORRIS: I certainly do, certainly do. I want to be there with him, and I want to say my last good-byes to him. At the same time, he's been the communicator, and I think we have a responsibility to communicate for John Paul II in these moments. That's what you're doing and that's what I'm trying to do, and I think he's happy because of this.

HEMMER: We'll see how many crowd into this city, this great city that will fill up by the day. Thank you, Father.

MORRIS: You're welcome.

HEMMER: We'll talk again.

MORRIS: Thanks, Bill.

HEMMER: I mentioned the crowds. They do anticipate a good crowd of about two million coming into Rome throughout the week here. Whether or not we can verify those numbers -- well, honestly we can't at this moment. These are just these city officials getting ready. And Daryn, I can tell you, they're shipping in extra water, there are extra train schedules running now and there is the strong possibility these giant tent cities could be set up here in Rome to house those who need the housing.

And the other thing that will be quite interesting, as we go throughout the week, they're setting up huge video screens throughout Rome. A number of them are already in different corners of St. Peter's Square. But when we came out earlier today, we saw this black screen set up to my right. That is just another way that they can project the image of Pope John Paul II and the funeral that we anticipate in about four and a half days from now. Just so you're following at home, the schedule is, as we understand, the public procession will begin any moment and then later tonight, almost four hours away from now, we'll get the public viewing to begin here at St. Peter's Square. Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: And Bill, you might not have exact numbers about how many people have gathered there, but you're going to now go down into the crowd and when we come back to you next time, we'll be going live to you among the people who have shown up to pay their respects to this pope.

HEMMER: All right. We'll see you then.

KAGAN: All right. In just a minute.

President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush say they plan to attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II. Our Elaine Quijano joins us with more details on that from the White House. Elaine, good morning.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn. That's right. White House officials say that President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush are planning to leave on Thursday, or possibly even earlier on Wednesday, for Rome in order to attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II. Now, the first couple will be leading the U.S.' delegation and we're told that the details of that delegation are still being finalized. That list still being worked on. But we are expecting to see it later today.

Now over the weekend, the president said that the Catholic Church had lost its shepherd and he called the pope one of history's great moral leaders. In fact, the two were in synch on social issues like gay marriage and abortion, but the pope staunchly opposed the Iraq War. The pope also opposed the death penalty, which the president supports. Nevertheless, aides say, the president had tremendous respect for the pope and again, set to travel to Rome to pay his respects.

Now while the White House is working to finalize those details, President Bush today is hosting the leader of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko. Now, the story of Viktor Yushchenko is one that the president has hailed as an example of how freedom can transform countries. In fact, the leader arriving here at the White House just a short time ago.

His rise to power reads like a mystery novel. Last year someone tried to poison him using dioxin, leaving his face scarred. He survived that and eventually was elected president after throngs of supporters held demonstrations in the Ukraine, demanding new elections because of reports of widespread fraud.

Now, the White House views the Ukraine as a key ally with troops right now in Iraq. And we are expecting to see the two leaders come before reporters in the East room of the White House. Daryn, we're told that's set to take place about an hour from now -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Elaine Quijano, live from the White House, thank you. HEMMER: One of the other stories we're following today, rising prices and troubling ratings. Wait until you hear the details from a new review of the nation's most popular airlines. That, and we're going to have a check of the markets, as well. All this for you after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

KAGAN: As the world mourns the death of the beloved pope, many are looking back at his life and his amazing tenure. CNN.com has compiled a comprehensive set of facts, such as the trips that Pope John Paul II made and the requirements for those who might succeed him.

Here now, CNN.com's Christina Park.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINA PARK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He came from humble beginnings and became the spiritual leader of the world's 1 billion Roman Catholics. We remember Pope John Paul II in our online special at CNN.com/pope. Carl Wojtyla became Pope John Paul II in 1978, the first ever Slavic pope, and the first non-Italian to be elected to the post in 455 years. As the most well-traveled pope, he flew more than 700,000 miles. That's equal to more than 28 times around the world. We've documented his travels through his 26 years of service.

Our special also looks ahead to who might become the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Learn about the requirements, such as age, or which languages a pontiff must speak, English and Italian being mandatory. Study the current procedures to elect the next spiritual leader and meet the potential successors in our interactive biography.

As the world mourns the loss of Pope John Paul II, we invite you to share his life and works at CNN.com/pope.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: We're going to be having that for you. By the way, speaking of the pope, we're being told it might be moved up. Maybe in the next 15 to 20 minutes you're going to be seeing this picture. That's right in the middle of St. Peter's Square. But you're also going to be seeing the pope's body being moved from one side to the other. He's actually going to be going over to St. Peter's Basilica, and we're going to have that for you as it happens. Quite a moment. It's going to be unfolding there.

KAGAN: Meanwhile, there's already great anticipation about who could be the next pope. Few places on the planet are as sacred or as secretive as the Vatican. The process of selecting the next pope is no exception. A behind-the-scenes look at that process is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) SANCHEZ: It's the Sala. You've heard the solarium, essentially like the living room in your home. It's a big, open space, right there, where the pope is now, and where he enjoyed entertaining. He's going to go through a series of doors, and then staircases, and eventually through the square into the bronze doors, into St. Peter's Basilica. Of course the importance of St. Peter's Basilica, named after St. Peter, Catholics believe the very first pope, and of course one of the very first -- one of the first 12 apostles. He was actually crucified there on Vatican Hill, and buried at the very place, according to Catholic tradition, where the pope will now lie in state.

KAGAN: So the first movement that we've seen is the movement of the Swiss Guard. We have our Alessio Vinci standing by in Rome to chime in now, and tell us more about what we can expect to see in the next few minutes. Alessio?

All right.

SANCHEZ: We just lost his audio.

KAGAN: We're working on finding him and getting that to work.

While we wait for more movement to take place and for the ceremony to officially begin, let's talk about what's going to happen in the coming weeks. Within two weeks after the pope is laid to rest, selected cardinals will meet to choose the next leader of the Catholic Church. The conclave is conducted in secret, under the rules steeped in centuries of history and tradition.

Our Anderson Cooper has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Today, the leaders of the Catholic Church, its cardinals are remembering the pope they have lost. Most of them were chosen by John Paul II. Most of them share his view of the world and a view of him in it.

CARDINAL ROGER MICHAEL MAHONEY, ARCHBISHOP OF LOS ANGELES: He was such a brilliant light for the world.

COOPER: But in a matter of days, their thoughts will turn to electing the pope who will lead them into the future.

CARDINAL J. FRANCIS STAFFORD, FORMER ARCHBISHOP OF DENVER: And that future is unknown to us at this point. But it has to be radically rooted in the magnificent teachings that the Holy Father has given to us.

COOPER: They'll go into what's called the conclave, from the Latin "conclavis" - with key. Canon law dictates that this official election process begin 15 to 20 days after the pope dies.

For many, the Vatican is a museum. But during this time, during this interregnum period, it is a living, breathing place. The cardinals from all around the world are coming here to Vatican City, where just a few hundred feet from here in the Sistine Chapel, they will meet behind closed doors. The doors will be locked, sealed with wax on either side. And inside, under Michelangelo's masterpiece, they will decide who is the next pope.

But first, the Sistine Chapel will be swept for bugs, recording devices and any other means of electronic surveillance - all in an effort to keep the proceedings completely secret.

The foundation for today's conclave traditions date all the way back to 1274, after the church went without a pope for nearly three years.

When Pope Gregory X was finally chosen, he decreed that in future elections, cardinals would be locked in the chapel until a new pope was named.

But this year, thanks to changes made by Pope John Paul II, the cardinals will be able to retire each night in comfort. That's because, for the first time in history, they'll be permitted to leave the chapel so they can sleep in a nearby dormitory, known as Casa Santa Marta, which will also be swept for bugs.

During the daytime, the cardinals will vote twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon - handwriting their choice for pope on ballots, inscribed with the words, "Eligo in Summum Pontificem" - I elect as supreme pontiff.

Between the votes, there'll be discussions - genteel politicking.

CARDINAL THEODORE E. MCCARRICK, ARCHBISHOP OF WASHINGTON: I can't do nuances in Italian. And, you know, sometimes nuances are the most important things in situations like this. So, I would hope that I could speak English or Spanish. I can do nuances in Spanish.

But we'll see.

COOPER: If no candidate receives two-thirds of the vote, the ballots and tally sheets will be burned in a little stove just off the Sistine Chapel, sending black smoke up a 60-foot pipe.

A plume of black smoke means, we are still without a pope.

But when a candidate does receive two-thirds of the vote, chemicals will be added to the burning ballots to make the smoke appear white, and signal that a new pontiff has been chosen.

The new pope will be asked if he accepts his appointment, and led into a small room just off the Sistine Chapel called the Chapel of Tears, to reflect the heavy burden the pope will carry.

Inside he'll find papal robes in small, medium and large. Once dressed, the new pope will greet the cardinals and walk toward this balcony facing St. Peter's Square. Leading him will be the cardinal deacon, whose job it is to announce to the anxious crowd, "Habemus Papam" - we have a pope.

Then the new pontiff will greet the faithful and give his first blessing to the City of Rome and the rest of the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: I know you see that picture just underneath St. Peter's Square, that is where moments from now, we're being told, the pope's body will be moved all the way from the palace, which is essentially the pope's home, his apartment, where he lives -- there's 1,000 rooms in that large building -- across St. Peter's Square, over to St. Peter's Basilica.

Let's talk to Alessio Vinci now. He's been following the story. He's our Rome correspondent, and he's going to bring us up to date on when this is going to take place and exactly what is going to take place, and also, I imagine, the significance of this on this day.

Alessio, over to you.

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you, Rick. Well, we're getting a little bit of a taste here what to expect in the coming days. This is the first time we actually are going to see, or the people will be able to see the body of the pope in St. Peter's Square after he died on Saturday night. I'm going to step out of the way here one second to give you a bit of a sense of how full this area here surrounding St. Peter's Square is.

This is (INAUDIBLE), which is the main boulevard leading up to St. Peter's Square, where technically, Vatican City begins. I am actually in Italian territory. I am in Rome right now. There where the square begins, that's where the Vatican begins, and there are literally tens of thousands of people, and many more are coming. And as you can probably see, there are also some ambulances. There security officials have already sealed the area. Whoever is in the square right now stays there. Whoever didn't get there cannot get in there, and we do expect in the coming moment for the pope to emerge from the Apostolic Palace through what is known as the bronze door, which is one door on the right-hand side of the St. Peter's Basilica, of the St. Peter's Square, through the door, the pope, possibly flanked by the Swiss Guards, will go through the St. Peter's Square, where tens of thousands of people, as you can see, are ready to see the pope, and then it will be brought back into the St. Peter's Basilica, where the lying in state will begin in earnest this evening at 8:00 p.m. Local time.

We understand that the pope will be laid in state, in the Olano (ph) room inside of St. Peter's Basilica. As soon as the body goes back in there, the Cardinal Camerlengo (ph), who actually is the same cardinal who has to officially certify, who had to officially certify, the death of the pope on Saturday evening, will say, will pray for the pope, will say the liturgy of the word, and then afterwards, the doors of St. Peter's Basilica will be opened to all the people who are arriving here in St. Peter's Square, and here in Rome in the past few days to be able to pay the last respects to the pope. We do understand that the St. Peter's Basilica will remain open throughout the day and throughout the night with a small exception of three hours between 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. in the morning. We understand from Vatican officials this is because of technical reasons, possibly to clean up a little bit the area there as you can imagine. Tens of thousands of people. Hundreds of thousands more expected here in Rome in the coming days. We do understand from Italian officials that up to two million people are expected here. And on Friday, in addition to that, there are expected at least hundreds heads of state, including as you know, the U.S. president, George W. Bush.

Security will be extremely tight, extremely complicated to organize. I've been here many times covering the arrival of the visit of one head of state, and like the president, for example, they shut down the entire city. Now, when the president and a hundred dignitaries or so will be here, I can tell you it will be an immense security challenge.

Rick, back to you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The basilica is the place where the pope many times celebrated the Eucharist and where the pope, the successor of the Apostle Peter, and above the tomb of Peter, spoke to the world. Now we can see that the body has been placed, and has those red garments, which are the colors, the liturgical colors, which the church...

SANCHEZ: We should tell you, once again -- I think we had an audio glitch there, I'm not sure. But those are live pictures that we're getting in from Vatican TV. And this is all part of the process that we've been sharing with you now of the actual procession, which is about to begin, where the pope's bad is going to be taken from the Apostolic Palace. The Apostolic Palace is this place you are looking at right now. It has some 1,000 rooms.

Most significantly, of course, aside from the museums and the Sistine Chapel and all the things we've heard about before, is the fact that this is where the pope lived. This is where his apartment was. This is where he's been laying and resting. Now his body will be taken from this particular point.

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: That man you see right there is Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo. He's a very important part of this procession. He's the one who had the task of preparing the pope's body. In fact, it was even part of his task at the very beginning, when the pope was found to have been deceased by medical officials, to actually go with a silver mallet and tap him, according to tradition, on the forehead to see if, in fact, he had passed away. This is, again, a tradition that has gone on for thousands of years.

He will now begin this procession with some words. Let's see. Let's go ahead and dip into this and see if this is part of his homily.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Blessed be god of father, Jesus Christ, our father who consoles us in our troubles. The hope of Christ, who is risen from the dead, may he be with all of you.

And now the cardinal will sprinkle holy water over the body.

In that procession of saints, I will go to the home of god. This is in the words of the antiphon.

Brothers and sisters, we great emotion, we accompany the body of the Roman pontiff, John Paul II, to the Vatican Basilica, where he often held his ministry as bishop of the Church in Rome and as pastor of the universal Church.

Whilst we leave this house, we thank the lord for the great and numerous gifts which, through his servant, Pope John Paul II, were given to the Christian people. And we pray to him to be merciful. And may the pontiff be granted eternal rest. And may he have hope for the pontifical family and the people in Rome and all the faithful throughout the world.

And here's the prayer. In Latin, look down, oh lord, upon your servant John Paul. Welcome him in your home of eternal light and peace. And grant your faithful to follow with fervor those stages that he has prepared. And may this be throughout forever and ever.

And now, the deacon invites the people attending to follow for the procession. The eminencies, the cardinals and priests are invited to begin the procession.

Arrangements are made, and instructions on how this procession is to proceed. And the eminencies, the cardinals, the Swiss Guards, who protected and helped the pope are now next to his body, to his mortal body.

The procession is beginning, is about to move. After almost 27 years, the pope is now leaving his home.

Psalm 22 is what is being sung. "The good shepherd, the lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing."

SANCHEZ: This is the procession which has now begun, you have been hearing some of the members of Vatican TV describing. Let us tell you now what you're going to be seeing over the next several minutes.

This is the beginning of the procession of the pope's body. It's being taken from that Sala Clementina, which is the place right there in the Apostolic Palace. This is the place where the pope has lived for oh so many years. Now it's going to be taken out the doors and through St. Peter's Square, eventually ending up in St. Peter's Basilica.

The reason they're taking it there is so that other members of the public, all the thousands of people who will be coming from throughout the world, can give one final goodbye, one final viewing of Pope John Paul II. We will let you share this moment with us.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to keep these amazing pictures up as the procession takes place, moving the pope's body through St. Peter's Square. It's about to go into the outdoors among the thousands of faithful that have gathered to pay their respects. Among those people, our Bill Hemmer is there.

Bill, earlier, as I understand it, you had a chance actually to go into the room. You were invited, one of the select few to have a viewing with the pope before the body was moved.

BILL HEMMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At the Apostolic Palace, you're exactly right, and the Hall of Clementine as they refer to it in English here, Daryn.

I'm able to see what you're seeing at home based on the giant video monitors that are set up here in St. Peter's Square. And this is an absolutely extraordinary sight.

The bells are tolling around the Vatican. Giant speakers have been set up to pump in the music that you now hear at home. And when they lifted the pope's body inside that hall, that begins what will be a very long procession through the palace, which is a huge building in its own right. Somewhat of a maze just to figure out how to work your way around there.

When we were there earlier today, we had an extraordinary opportunity to pay our final respects to Pope John Paul II. You're not allowed to spend much time there. A little less than a minute, but enough time to be able to take in the moment and the gravity of this time for the Catholic Church.

He had a rosary in his hand. The crimson vestments that you have seen adorned to both sides of his body. His red shoes can be seen as well, and a bishop's miter hat tops his head.

There is a candle burning to the right. And there is a large crucifix set off to the left-hand side.

And inside this room, that earlier we compared to the size of a basketball court, are the most beautiful frescos you will ever see in your life on the ceilings and on the walls and on the marble floors as well. And there was such a -- such a display of respect and dignity on behalf of everyone who had the opportunity to be in there. And you can see so many people crying, literally in tears as they left -- as they left that hall.

What you're seeing here now, Daryn, in a second here, I'm going to use these binoculars, just because the screen is a little far away from me. But as they exit the palace, which is just off to the right here across St. Peter's Square, they'll come down another set of steps. And there are a series of courtyards inside that palace as well.

Then eventually, we'll see the pope's body return to the square where he has found essentially his home for the past 26 years. As they continue, let's listen again.

KAGAN: We continue to witness an incredible sight, listen to incredible sounds as the procession continues of Pope John Paul II. They are moving his body into St. Peter's Square and into St. Peter's Basilica. In so many ways the pictures and sounds speak for themselves. Yet, to put some context around it, and to explain exactly what we're seeing, let's bring in our Vatican analyst, John Allen, who joins us now from Rome -- John.

JOHN ALLEN, CNN VATICAN ANALYST: Well, these are some remarkable images we're seeing, obviously. It's a deeply moving final voyage, so to speak, for this hope who traveled the highways and byways of the world, 129 countries, 140 -- 104, rather, trips. But this is his final trip, on his way to his resting place in the grotto of St. Peter's Basilica.

It's worth noting that this will be the last time that John Paul II is inside the Apostolic Palace, this building in which his apartments are located, where he spent almost 27 years of his papacy. This is also the first time the cardinals have been ceremoniously gathered together since the death of the pope.

Of course they had a business meeting earlier this morning. Some 65 cardinals were present, others continuing to arrive in Rome. But this is their first ceremonial event since the death of the pope.

And, of course, we've seen the cardinals wearing their scarlet crimson garments, accompanying -- paying their respects to the pope and now accompanying the procession as John Paul II makes his way from the Sala Clementina, where his body lay in state earlier this morning for private viewing, on its way to St. Peter's Basilica for what will certainly be a massive, massive turnout of people wanting to say farewell to this pope who meant so much to all of them.

KAGAN: John, we see the cardinals, we see the members of the Swiss Guard. Who are the men who are in tuxedos who have the honor of carrying the pope's body?

ALLEN: Those are the Papal Gentlemen. These are members of distinguished Roman and Italian families, many of whom have been connected to the papacy in some way for centuries, who are selected to assist the pope in various ceremonial functions.

So, for example, when there are private audiences inside this building, the Apostolic Palace, they will assist with making sure that people are seated, making sure that the people come up to meet the pope, they're introduced properly and so forth. They also greet visiting dignitaries on behalf of the pope.

So, for example, on the three occasions when President George Bush came to meet Pope John Paul II, it was the Papal Gentleman who he was first greeted by. Then the pope's public secretary, Archbishop James Harvey, and finally, of course, the holy father himself.

And so these are the men who, every time the pope had an event in the palace, were by his side, taking care of his needs. Here on John Paul's farewell to the Apostolic Palace, his final event, so to speak, in this building that was the very heart of his pontificate, they are once again at his side making sure that he has what he needs. KAGAN: The enormity of the event, as we were saying, his final journey. Let's listen and watch.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): And here now the body of the pontiff was turned around towards the square so that the faithful could see him in the square, and in (INAUDIBLE), almost as if he is speaking. Although dead, he still speaks. So let us listen to his message.

And now, the body of John Paul II go through the door and enters the basilica, where he will remain until the funeral on Friday. To then after the requiem mass to be taken to the place of burial. The basilica of St. peter's welcomes the pope, and there is light to welcome the shepherd.

(SPEAKING ITALIAN)

KAGAN: And so the procession of the body of Pope John Paul II continues. We watched as it made its way and the procession through st. Peter's Square, and now into St. Peter's Basilica. To understand more of what we're seeing, also what we're hearing, let's bring back our Vatican analyst John Allen -- John.

JOHN ALLEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What we have just seen, of course, is the body of John Paul II being brought into St. Peter's basilica. I'm sure you saw that moment where before they actually crossed the threshold and entered the basilica, the body was turned around so the pope could face the people, the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square, and all the way down to (INAUDIBLE). That's the broad street leading up to the basilica here in Rome. The Vatican estimates that over the course of John Paul's pontificate, some 15 million people gathered in that square, or in the audience hall, to take part in audiences, the Wednesday audiences, given by John Paul II.

And this was one last opportunity for this public who turned out so regularly and in such large numbers to hear the pope -- to see him and say good bye. And now they're processing down the central nave, or the central aisle, of the basilica, to the spot where the pope will lie in state for the throngs of people who are expected over the course of the next few days, leading up to the funeral on Friday, to come through the basilica to pay their respects. It's worth noting that John Paul II, the only thing one could say, he was a magnet for humanity.

There was a connection between this pope and the people of the world that really surpasses, I think, the experience of any other pope in church history. He would draw millions anywhere he went. He will draw millions one last time, undoubtedly, over the course of these next several days.

KAGAN: John Allen, with us from Rome.

We're continuing to watch his historic ceremony. Let's watch and let's listen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Give the home road justice and peace, comfort and enlighten your holy church.

Send new workers. Protect the bishops and you will all the ministers of the gospel. Give all Christians unity in faith. Lead all peoples to the truth of the gospel.

The pasqual (ph) (INAUDIBLE) and the flame is the light by the body of the pope. The pope, although dead, speaks and continues to speak.

Come saints of God. Come angels and welcome his soul and lift it up to the throne, the almighty.

The body will be, once again, blessed by holy water by the chamberlain and then incense. The responsorial will be sung and may the angels, with Abraham, lift his soul up to heaven and reach the throne of the Almighty.

Prayers are sung in Latin.

Christ, welcome you and the angels will lead you to paradise, like Abraham.

May the angels lift you up to heaven. The priest will now proclaim the gospel.

I want them to be where I am.

Eternal rest grant upon him, Oh, Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

Prayers continue in Latin.

The Lord be with you, and with your spirit. The gospel according to John.

At that time, Jesus, lift up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, I want that, although this can be -- you have given me, can be with me, so that they can contemplate my glory, what you had given me because you loved me before creation of the world.

Just Father, the world did not recognize you, but I did recognize you. These people know that you have sent me. And I let them know your name, because the love by which you loved me is also in them, and I in them. The word of the Lord.

Now, there will be the universal prayer in Latin. Dear brothers and sisters, may our deceased pastor be welcomed, and may our faith increase in the resurrection of the dead.

Let us say together, we pray to you, hear us, oh Lord, for the deceased pope, John Paul II, the supreme pastor who is always living, may he intercede for us and welcome in the kingdom of light and peace. Hear us, oh Lord, graciously hear us, oh Lord. For the church, the holy church of God, faithful to the mandate in the view of Christ, and let us pray, hear us, oh Lord. Graciously hear us, oh Lord. From the peoples of all nations in the respect of justice, may they form one family in peace and be united by fraternal feelings. Hear us, oh Lord. Lord graciously hear us.

For all of us who are gathered here in prayer, may we be one day in the kingdom of Heaven, Lord hear us, Lord graciously hear us.

Our Father, who art in Heaven, in Latin: Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be on Earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespass, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Oh Lord, our salvation, listen to us, who are praying to you, together with all the saints, and welcome in the assembly of your elected, welcome our pope, John Paul, who trusted in the prayer of the church, for Christ, our Lord. Eternal rest grant upon him, Oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. And with this prayer, eternal rest may be given to him, and may perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. This is the end of the liturgy. From this moment, there is going to be a long pilgrimage, day and night.

Next to the body of the pontiff, those who cannot come to Rome these days, will have the grace. It is a grace and a gift. I repeat this to everybody, to be able to watch what is happening at home and reflect, pray, see, watch and pay their respects to he who had done so much good during his long life. By his prayers, by his suffering, he had been a reference point for each person on the face of the Earth, regardless of the color of the skin, language, nationality, nation, religion. And now, let us think and reflect, once again, on the letters and these words, although dead, he still speaks. John Paul II, although he is dead, he continues to speak to us.

He holds in his arm that pastoral cross, which accompanied him during all of his journeys and trips all over the world. Now, thanks to these means, to the needier, his picture, in the sleep of death, reaches everybody all over the world and penetrates our minds and touches our hearts.

Prayers continue to be sung in Latin.

(SINGING)

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