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**texbrease** · 08-06-2006, 08:00 AM

Pope Mourned in Land That Eschewed Him

COMBINED REPORTS

As the world mourned the death of Pope John Paul II, hundreds of people came to Catholic churches in Russia - a place he could never visit - to pay their respects.

Services in memory of the pontiff were conducted in St. Petersburg Catholic churches on Sunday and will continue all week, culminating in simultaneous services as his funeral service is held in Rome on Friday, city priests said.

"The services are conducted in very many languages, including Russian, Polish, English, Italian and even Korean," Father Kshishtov, of St. Stanislav's Church, said Monday in a telephone interview.

"There are six Catholic churches in St. Petersburg," he said. "This is not that many for such a big city with a population of 5 million people as St. Petersburg is. All the churches have been full with thousands of people participating in services."

"There are from 50,000 to 60,000 Catholics in St. Petersburg," he added. "Many of them are people who came to the city from Belarus and Lithuania.

Several thousand of them often attend services."

St. Mary's conducted a service dedicated to the Pope on Sunday and will continue praying for the pontiff all week.

READ MORE:

http://www.times.spb.ru/archive/time...op/t_15357.htm

08-06-2006, 08:00 AM	#4
texbrease Join Date Nov 2005 Posts 465 Senior Member	Statement from Orthodox leaders on pope's death Pope Mourned in Land That Eschewed Him COMBINED REPORTS As the world mourned the death of Pope John Paul II, hundreds of people came to Catholic churches in Russia - a place he could never visit - to pay their respects. Services in memory of the pontiff were conducted in St. Petersburg Catholic churches on Sunday and will continue all week, culminating in simultaneous services as his funeral service is held in Rome on Friday, city priests said. "The services are conducted in very many languages, including Russian, Polish, English, Italian and even Korean," Father Kshishtov, of St. Stanislav's Church, said Monday in a telephone interview. "There are six Catholic churches in St. Petersburg," he said. "This is not that many for such a big city with a population of 5 million people as St. Petersburg is. All the churches have been full with thousands of people participating in services." "There are from 50,000 to 60,000 Catholics in St. Petersburg," he added. "Many of them are people who came to the city from Belarus and Lithuania. Several thousand of them often attend services." St. Mary's conducted a service dedicated to the Pope on Sunday and will continue praying for the pontiff all week. READ MORE: http://www.times.spb.ru/archive/time...op/t_15357.htm
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