All the possible platitudes and praise had been heaped upon him, more so after his death, but John Paul II remained the most humble and holy person we have seen in our lifetime.

As I witnessed the Pope’s funeral from the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square, it seemed as if, even for a few hours, all the conflicts and animosity in the world had faded away, and millions of hearts were beating as one.

We came very early that day, despite the fact that we have been issued blue passes, courtesy of our Ambassador to the Vatican Leonida Vera. Among my group were Cecille Alvarez, Bel Cunanan, Preciosa Soliven, Cerge Remonde, Richard Lee, Teresa Tunay, Sis. Ma. Luz Mijares, VOA, Sis. Ma. Clarita Balleque, RVM, the last two representing the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines.

Cecille brought along a Filipino flag which she kept waving. The gusty wind aggravated the cold (9 degrees) but one could still feel the warmth from all mourners, of various nationalities, who packed the balcony.

From there we had a panoramic view of the proceedings.

Kings, Queens, Presidents, Prime Ministers, other heads of states, religious leaders from all faiths, people from all walks of life. They all gathered at the Square to pay homage to Pope John Paul II.

During the mass, prayers for peace and unity were read in French, Swahili, Polish, German, Portuguese, and Filipino. " Para sa lahat ng katauhan sa lahat ng bansa: sapagkat, sa kanilang pagbigay galang sa Katarungan, mabubuo nawa ang isang pamilya ng Kapayaaan at Pagkakaisa sa damdaming kapatiran."

The final and most touching moment of the ceremony came when, before entering the St. Peter’s Basilica to bring the Pope to his final resting place, his pall bearers raised the wooden coffin, slightly standing up and facing the crowd, as if to allow the Pope to wave his last goodbye.

It was then that the multitude broke into a thunderous applause. As I looked around, people were sobbing and clapping.

The day before, we were fortunate to view his mortal remains as the Pope lay in state. Thousands, usually waiting in line for hours, passed in front of his remains to pay their last respects. A news report estimated that mourners passed in front of the remains at the rate of 1,800 per hour. A Filipina from Connecticutt waited in line for hours on end and passed in front of his body for a little over 2 seconds. But she said the trip was worth it.

I heard Pope John Paul II being described as "a pope who knew how to pope." He was holy, yet so human. He was accessible and warm. People could relate to him as a father and friend. He certainly knew how to bring God’s message to ordinary people, and to touch them in very profound ways.

President Gloria told thousands of our countrymen who offered mass offered by Archbishop Fernando Capalla at the Basilica of St. Mary Major the day earlier: " He was the first Pope who took the time to celebrate a holy mass for our overseas workers here in Rome. This is important, because we have more than eight million Filipinos living and working in foreign lands, who turned to the Pope for guidance and strength when living and working outside the Philippines."

It was therefore not surprising to hear the crowd at the Vatican erupt into chants of "Santo, Santo" or to see signs proclaiming "Santo Subito." Even in the first few hours after his death, it was already evident that he had made an indelible mark on this earth and that, for the millions whose lives he touched, he is already a saint.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo told CNN, in an interview taped the day before but played a few moments before the funeral mass, that the Pope had a profound influence on some of her decisions. She also related that the Pope himself would communicate with her, either personally or through our Ambassador to the Vatican regarding specific instances in our national life where he felt she could exercise her faith, such as on the issue of the death penalty.

Even after his death, this Pope will be a strong presence in our daily lives. I would not be surprised if the faithful would develop personal devotions to him. Indeed, we must follow his example, particularly in how ready he was to face death. As he stated in his Letter to the Elderly, "I find great peace in thinking of the time when the Lord will call me: From life to life! And so I often find myself saying, with no trace of melancholy, a prayer recited by priests after the celebration of the Eucharist: At the hour of my death, call me and bid me come to you."

May we all be blessed to live such a life of grace!

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We would like to thank Ambassador to the Vatican Leonida Vera and Ambassador to Italy, Philip Lhuillier and wife Edna, for their valuable assistance during our short stay in Rome.

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