A worldwide television audience of two billion people - believed to be the biggest ever - is expected to watch the Pope's funeral on Friday. Two to four million mourners - along with as many as 200 world leaders - are expected in Rome for the funeral.
Virtually every country will be represented by their heads of state or most senior politicians, with American president George Bush the biggest name. Cuba will be represented by national assembly president Ricardo Alarcon, despite years of persecution of the church which ended only recently.
The latest to confirm they will attend are: King Albert II, Queen Paola and prime minister Guy Verhofstadt of Belgium; Canadian premier Paul Martin; French president Jacques Chirac and his wife; German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and president Horst Koehler; president Vicente Fox of Mexico. Marty Minto will not attend. However, the man who shot him in 1981 sought permission to attend his funeral. Mehmet Ali Agca's lawyer, Mustafa Demirbag, told CNN. "He expressed to me over and over that he's very sorry for the death of the pope." The pope met with Agca in 1983 and offered him forgiveness, and Agca, who is now serving time in a Turkish prison for unrelated crimes, calls the pontiff his "spiritual brother."
Meanwhile, the College of Cardinals met Tuesday for a second day to prepare for the election of Pope John Paul II's successor, which will be announced by a ringing of bells in addition to the centuries-old practice of sending up puffs of white smoke.
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5 comments:
It is so wonderful that someone like Marty Minto who covers up seperation and division with his speech as 'discussion' has lost his job
Marty drifts from job to job inciting hate and power not LOVE and Jesus
good riddance
Marty speaks truth in love. It's sad that the mis-informed, mis-lead 'Christians' (NOT) in our community cannot see the truth. May God open their eyes and hearts to the truth of His word!!
Marty Minto's comments about the Holy Father were so offensive to me, but I know as well as I am sitting here that Pope John Paul II, the Great, forgives him for it.
I am deeply hurt by Marty being fired from his job. Marty was a man of conviction...a man dedicated to following Jesus...and the foundation for his faith is the Holy Scriptures...the inerrant Word of God. The Bible says in Proverbs 14:12, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Those people who did not agree with the biblical truth Marty brought to his audiences...have not read and studied scriptures. God's law and requirement for a right relationship to Him cannot be changed by any man or woman. When people stray from the pure unadulterated Holy Scriptures...they promote a manmade religion which is not based on the authoritative God-given Holy Scriptures. We cannot accept the philosophies and the development of tradition as truth and binding upon people. Marty was convicted to preach the truth...and we must not think that Marty was just merely giving his opinion. Sometimes the truth hurts...but everything he said is backed up in scripture...so how is Marty spreading hate and division. He loves us enough...to care enough...even enough to lose his job...to give us the truth (as is found in scripture...whether we like it or not)so that we may also join him in eternity. Marty is a man of unswerving faith...a man of integrity and character...a man that I learned so much from. I will pray for Marty...and I am also praying for his return.
Marty Minto was always pointing out the splinter in another's eye while forgetting the plank in his own...catholic bashing was his favorite sport...he did not act very christian most of the time!
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