Warsaw: Over 300,000 Poles said farewell to Pope John Paul II yesterday, cramming into the square where he once urged them to rise up against the communist leadership.
The national Mass, at the site of the former Saxon Palace and the tomb of the unknown soldier, also drew hundreds of soldiers and sailors, scouts and schoolchildren. An estimated two million Poles will join President Aleksander Kwasniewski in Rome for Friday's funeral.
"One more time John Paul II calls us here to pray in the biggest square in Warsaw, which has special historic meaning in the history of our nation," said Cardinal Józef Glemp, the Primate of Poland, from an altar bookended by two huge portraits of the Pope. "It started on June 2nd, 1979. Here, in this square a great prayer took place, full of zest and power of the spirit."
The Pope told Poles during that address: "Be not afraid . . . may the spirit come and renew the face of this land."
Those words, seen then as a statement of defiance of the communist authorities, will now be inscribed on a new monument to the Pope planned for the square.
The mood at yesterday's service was one more of resignation than sorrow.
Scouts pushed their way through the overcapacity crowd distributing water. Enterprising Warsovians sold tacky flags for 10 zloty (€2.40) with a figure that looked less like Pope John Paul II and more like Mr Peanut in a mitre, minus the monocle.
"I wanted to go to Rome but my parents said it was too expensive and too dangerous," said Aleksandra Beanarczyk (15). "When he was alive I didn't really listen to him - I knew his jokes more than his teachings - but now I would like to follow him and heed his words."
Her friend, Agnieszka Nowak, agreed.
"It's very difficult for us because he's been Pope all our lives. The new Pope shouldn't pretend to be John Paul II. He won't be. But he shouldn't lock himself away in the Vatican like Popes used to."
Many people at the Mass, young and old, said that the memory of John Paul II would strengthen the Catholic Church in Poland in the future.
"What he taught people in 26 years is deep in their hearts. It won't vanish so easily," said Wieslawa Noszczyk (72).
But one priest in the crowd suggested that this open-air Mass was probably the last of its kind on this scale in Poland, ending what began in the square in 1979.
"Many people are here because they have personal memories of the Pope and to say a personal goodbye.
"It's not necessarily about religion," said Fr Pawel Solowia.
After the Mass, Cardinal Glemp came under attack for using his homily to counter media criticism that said he displayed poor judgment by only returning from a trip to Argentina on Monday, two days after the Pope's death.
His attempt to defuse the row appears to have made things worse.
"We were really cross, to say the least," said Jolanta Urbanikowa after the homily.
"He should have stayed here and he shouldn't have mentioned it now."