Pope's funeral interrupted

2005-04-08 12:47

Members of the crowd hold banners calling for 'Santo Subito' - 'Sainthood now'' for Pope John Paul II, during his funeral mass. (Luca Bruno, AP)

Vatican City - Thousands of people, mostly Poles, briefly interrupted the funeral of John Paul II on Friday with calls for his immediate canonisation.

A section of the vast throng of mourners assembled on Saint Peter's Square held up Polish flags and banners reading "Santo Subito" (sainthood at once), and broke into a chant of "Santo, Santo" lasting about seven minutes.

A reporter on a roof overlooking the square estimated that about 10 000 of the 300 000 people on the square participated in the chanting.

- AFP