More than 100-thousand people have attended a memorial Mass in St. Peter's Square for Pope John Paul the Second, who died Saturday - and Vatican television has shown the Pope's body lying in state.
A potential successor to John Paul -- Cardinal Angelo Sodano -- presided over the solemn requiem mass at the Vatican Sunday.
Later, television footage was shown of church officials viewing John Paul's body as he lay in state in the Vatican palace. Members of the public will be allowed to pay their respects to John Paul after the 84-year-old pontiff's body is moved to St. Peter's Basilica, which is expected Monday.
The Vatican on Sunday confirmed the official cause of death as septic shock and heart failure.
The former Polish priest (Karol Wojtyla) was the third longest-serving leader in the Catholic Church. He has been widely praised for his spiritual and moral leadership, his role in encouraging the peaceful downfall of communist rule in Eastern Europe, for his efforts to repair Catholic church relations with Jews and Muslims, and for his outreach to other Christian denominations.
A potential successor to John Paul -- Cardinal Angelo Sodano -- presided over the solemn requiem mass at the Vatican Sunday.
Later, television footage was shown of church officials viewing John Paul's body as he lay in state in the Vatican palace. Members of the public will be allowed to pay their respects to John Paul after the 84-year-old pontiff's body is moved to St. Peter's Basilica, which is expected Monday.
The Vatican on Sunday confirmed the official cause of death as septic shock and heart failure.
The former Polish priest (Karol Wojtyla) was the third longest-serving leader in the Catholic Church. He has been widely praised for his spiritual and moral leadership, his role in encouraging the peaceful downfall of communist rule in Eastern Europe, for his efforts to repair Catholic church relations with Jews and Muslims, and for his outreach to other Christian denominations.