Friday, April 8 2005 08:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Vatican City: Vatican officials shut Saint Peter's basilica to the public and worked late into the night to prepare for today's (Apr 8, 2005) open-air funeral of Pope John Paul II, amid a security clampdown for visiting world leaders.

As night fell, police closed St. Peter's Square, leaving a few hundred people in line outside the floodlit basilica -- the last wave of a tide of humanity that has flowed past the pope's body lying in State there since Monday (Apr 4, 2005).

Beyond the square -- a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture -- pilgrims laid out sleeping bags and blankets in hope of being first in when the crash barriers are removed at 6.00 am (0930 IST), four hours before the open-air requiem mass begins.

"There is an amazing atmosphere here, it's fantastic. We're sleeping on the ground, but we're happy," said 18-year-old Christof Kita, who had travelled for 27 hours with three family members from Bielsko-Biala, in southern Poland, close to the pope's hometown of Wadowice.

Some 1,000 dignitaries representing more than half the world's countries and its major religions are expected to attend the service, as well as many of the two-to-four million pilgrims who officials said had flocked to Rome this week.

Among those arriving late yesterday (Apr 7, 2005) were UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and King Juan Carlos of Spain, who knelt in prayer alongside his wife Queen Sofia in front of the pope's body, laid out in red and white ceremonial robes.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, one of a number of Muslim leaders attending the funeral, flew into Rome's Fiumicino airport shortly before midnight.

He hailed the pope as "a religious leader for the Catholics" but also as "a man with concern for all human beings."

On the eve of the funeral, the Vatican disclosed that the ailing John Paul, one of the most popular popes in modern times, considered resigning five years ago, when he reached the age of 80.

The pope died Saturday (Apr 2, 2005) at 84 after struggling with Parkinson's disease and other illnesses towards the end of his 26-year reign.

The Vatican published his final testament, in which he disclosed that he had thought about stepping down but carried on, saying, "May the mercy of God give me the necessary strength for this service."

He also revealed that he had contemplated being buried in his native Poland.

In the end, he decided to leave his funeral arrangements to the College of Cardinals, which will convene on April 18 to begin the process of electing his successor.

Rome's second airport, Ciampino, was closed to commercial flights from 10:00 am (1330 IST) yesterday until midnight (0330 IST) today, while private planes were barred from flying over the city.

Pilgrims continued to pour across Italy's borders by train and bus, however, in particular from Poland, whose President Aleksander Kwasniewski was expected to have a front-row seat at the mass.