Pro-Cathedral Mass: Hundreds of people heard a Mass of Remembrance for the Pope in the streets outside a crowded Pro-Cathedral in Dublin last night.
The congregation was led by President Mary McAleese and her husband, Martin; Taoiseach Bertie Ahern; Tánaiste Mary Harney; Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny; Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte and Green Party leader Trevor Sargent.
The Mass was celebrated by the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, assisted by his auxiliary bishops.
Also present on the altar were the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Giuseppe Lazarotto; the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Rev John Neill; the Archdeacon of Dublin, the Ven David Pierpoint; the former president of the Methodist Church in Ireland, the Rev Ken Wilson; and Father Ireneu Craciun, of the Greek Orthodox Church.
Also attending the Mass was Ireland's Chief Rabbi, Dr Isaac Pearlman.
In his homily, Dr Martin said said that Pope John Paul would not have wanted an Ireland which was "looking back nostalgically at his visit".
He would have wanted Ireland to be "looking forward, realistically but with courage and hope, to the future".
"We can render tribute to Pope John Paul by unflinchingly moving forward with the peace process, putting aside for ever and on every side all ambiguities about violence.
"We should also look at other forms of violence in society," the archbishop said.
"In the last three months, two men have been found murdered within 100 yards of my home," he added.
"There is violence in homes, violence against children, violence against immigrants, violence against gay and lesbian people, and violence even against the old, simply because they are weak."
Members of the Government present included Brian Cowen,Séamus Brennan, Dick Roche, John O'Donoghue, Éamon Ó Cuív, Brian Lenihan, Ivor Callely, Tom Kitt, Tom Parlon, Seán Power, Síle de Valera and the Attorney General, Rory Brady.
Also present were the Chief Justice, Mr Justice John Murray; the Garda Commissioner, Noel Conroy; and the Army Chief of Staff, Lt-Gen Sreenan.
Among a large contingent from the diplomatic corps were the US ambassador, James Kenny; the British ambassador, Stewart Eldon, and the Polish ambassador, Witold Sobków.
Dublin Bus is to provide a free service to the 6.30 pm remembrance ceremony for Pope John Paul at the Papal Cross in the Phoenix Park on Friday.
Buses will run from George's Quay, near Tara Street Station, from 2 pm to 6 pm.
The buses will return from Chesterfield Road after the ceremony.
