Monday, April 04, 2005
CNN Correspondents View Pope's Body
Source: CNN.com Two CNN correspondents who were among those viewing the body of Pope John Paul II on Monday described the experience as "emotional" and "moving."
"It's quite emotional, what was happening this morning," said Correspondent Jim Bittermann.
He and Rome Bureau Chief Alessio Vinci were among a select group of journalists who covered the pope during his lifetime and were invited to pay their respects to the pontiff before his body is moved later Monday to St. Peter's Basilica from the Apostolic Palace.
"It does really affect you seeing him like this without life," Vinci said. "I am one of the junior reporters at the Vatican. And in this Vatican press corps there are correspondents who have been covering him 20 years, 27 years. Even they were extremely emotional. I saw some crying.
Bittermann said about 200 journalists were among 2,000 to 3,000 people who filed past the pope's body lying in the Sala Clementina, where he used to welcome foreign dignitaries. It was, he said, a "very respectful scene, very quiet scene." MORE
# posted by ATN @ 10:42 AM 
