World's most powerful pay homage to Pontiff

United States Presidents past and present paid their respects to the late Pope in Rome, as an unprecedented gathering of world leaders began to assemble for his funeral tonight.

President George W. Bush was accompanied by his wife, Laura, and former Presidents George Bush snr and Bill Clinton.

President Bush will find himself sitting close to President Khatami of Iran - designated an "axis of evil" state - for the ceremony. That two such diverse leaders should be obliged to share the same space is an indication of the huge pull of today's event.

Bush will be the first incumbent President to attend the funeral of a Pope and Dr Rowan Williams will be the first head of the Anglican Church to do the same. Also coming from Britain are Prime Minister Tony Blair and Prince Charles.

President Bush's first appointment in Rome, Italian media reported, was at St Peter's Basilica at midnight. He prayed before the corpse of the man who ruled the Catholic Church for more than 26 years and who clashed vigorously with him over the Iraq war.

The Vatican has announced that the Conclave - the congress of cardinals at which they elect the next Pope - will begin on Monday, April 18.

During the 10 days between the funeral and the start of the Conclave, the 116-plus voting cardinals - those under 80 who are fit enough to attend - are discouraged from talking about the election as they prepare themselves spiritually to be guided in their counsels and voting by the Holy Spirit, according to the church's teaching.

Before the funeral they were free to say what they wanted. Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, stuck his neck out further than most yesterday when he said he believed the next Pope would be conservative on doctrine, as John Paul was.

He said the Polish Pope's attachment to traditional church teaching had given Catholics "a strong sense of security", and he hoped "we'll have the same sense of security with the next Pope".

Brazil's Cardinal Serafim Fernandes de Araujo said the next Pope should address "the problems of the poor".

- INDEPENDENT