New Pope marks month since death of John Paul II
Pope Benedict XVI marked the passing of a month since John Paul II’s death today at a Mass in his private chapel, the Vatican said.
The new Pope will later pray at John Paul II’s tomb in the grottoes beneath St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican said.
It said the area round the tomb would be closed off to the public so that Benedict could pay his respects in private.
John Paul died on April 2, and some three million pilgrims arrived in Rome to view his body and attend his funeral.
Mourners continued to stream past John Paul II’s grave – situated near the traditional burial site of the apostle Peter, the church’s first Pope – when it was opened to the public shortly after the funeral on April 8.
Also today, the Pope received a group of Sri Lankan bishops, Benedict’s first audience with visiting bishops since his election on April 19.
