The public and private sides of the Pope's funeral

It was conducted in Latin and Italian by 140 Cardinals from all continents. Prayers were said in French, Swahili, German, Portuguese and Polish. Presidents and Prime Ministers from about 150 countries participated in the funeral, which lasted for two and half hours. John Paul's II coffin was very simple, made of cypress wood with no ornaments. The body was placed into the crypt at 14:20 during a "private ceremony," not broadcast by the media. The funeral saw old political opponents reconcile their differences, if only for a while. Among them of the President of Israel Mosze Kacaw with the leaders of Syria and Iran. Also President Aleksander Kwaśniewski publicly shook hands with former President Lech Wałęsa and former premier Tadeusz Mazowiecki. (Gazeta Wyborcza, April 9-10; p. 1, Rzeczpospolita, April 9-10, p. A1) A.F.