VATICAN CITY -- Pope John Paul II was laid to rest in the grotto under St. Peter's Basilica Friday, interred "in the bare earth," and covered by a simple stone marker that states just his name and the years he was born and died.
He was buried among past popes and near the tomb traditionally believed to be that of the apostle Peter -- the first pope.
The funeral began with an intimate ceremony attended only by high-ranking prelates, who placed a pouch of silver and bronze medals and a scrolled account of his life in his coffin.
John Paul's longtime private secretary, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, and the master of the liturgical ceremonies, Archbishop Piero Marini, placed a white silk veil over the pope's face before the coffin was closed.
Applause rang out in St. Peter's Square as the coffin -- adorned with a cross and the "M" for Mary -- was brought out into the windy square. It was placed on the ground in front of the altar. The book of the Gospel was placed on the coffin and the breeze blew the pages.
Cardinals wearing white miters then filed out onto the square, the wind whipping at their red vestments.
One of the pope's closest confidantes said he's sure John Paul sees the crowd gathered Friday for his funeral standing "at the window of the father's house."
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger choked up while pointing to the pope's window overlooking the square -- telling the crowd he was sure the pontiff was looking down and blessing them as he had thousands of times from the same place.
Ratzinger's homily traced the pope's life through his days as leader of the world's Catholics. He called John Paul "a priest to the last," who is being buried today as "a seed of immortality."
Presidents, prime ministers and kings from around the world joined pilgrims, prelates and other religious leaders at the funeral. It was one of the largest religious gatherings in the West in modern times.
The crowd of hundreds of thousands in St. Peter's Square cheered and a giant bell tolled while formally dressed Vatican ushers carried the casket away. Many in the crowd chanted John Paul's name in several languages while holding up signs asking that he be named a saint.
Unlike his funeral Mass, the burial was closed to the public. Instead, only top church officials witnessed the event, according to a Vatican spokesman. The service ended with the words: "Lord, grant him eternal rest, and may perpetual light shine upon him."
Before he was buried, the wooden coffin was definitively closed with red bands and both papal and Vatican seals. It was placed in a second casket of zinc, and then within a third of walnut.
Several million other people watched the funeral on giant video screens set up across Rome. Many had tried to get into the square, but were waved off by authorities.
A student from Brazil said the huge, mixed gathering reflects "the sum of the world's feelings" for what the pope meant.
An Italian military commander said he doesn't think he's ever seen such a huge effort to protect any one place in Italy. The city's police chief said about 8,000 security agents were on hand, including 2,000 uniformed guards in the square mixing with 1,500 plainclothes officers. Paramilitary officers with automatic weapons are at nearly all of Rome's intersections. The city was virtually sealed off to car and truck traffic until later today. Helicopters and fighter jets flew over St. Peter's Square, with authorities saying their worst-case scenario was a threat from the sky. Anti-aircraft rocket launchers are cocked and ready at spots around the capital.
Even bishops were required to go through metal detectors.
John Paul's homeland was well-represented at his funeral. An estimated 2 million Poles made a long trip from Poland to Vatican City -- making their presence known by waving flags and by the sounds of their own language on the streets. Many were visibly groggy after a 30-hour bus ride -- trying to clear their eyes and find a decent spot to watch the funeral.
One man waving the Solidarity flag saluted the pope's help in toppling communism, saying he has "a debt to pay" to John Paul. Another said he's seen more Poles in Italy than Italians.
The pope's last will and testament was released Thursday. In it, he instructed his private secretary to burn his personal notes upon his death. He also suggested he considered resigning in 2000, when his infirmities were already apparent. Revising his will just three days before a historic pilgrimage to the Holy Land, John Paul prayed that God would "help me to recognize up to what point I must continue this service."
Funeral Watched Worldwide
Thousands of people gathered at sites around the world to honor the pope.
About 7,000 people gathered in the famed Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris for a round-the-clock observance. Hundreds more stood outside the full cathedral, braving a downpour to watch the service on a giant screen.
Asia's most populous Roman Catholic nation is also holding a "celebration of life" in John Paul's honor. Thousands gathered in the Philippines, crowding a seaside Manila park to watch the service on four giant TV screens and to remember the pope's two visits there.
Bells tolled at Catholic churches across Singapore to mark the funeral.
In Australia, about 14,000 people poured into a cricket ground for a memorial service for the pontiff, who is credited with reaching out to other denominations.
Even in overwhelmingly Buddhist Sri Lanka, the top private TV station interrupted regular programming to broadcast the funeral live after receiving hundreds of telephone requests. Sri Lanka had a papal visit in 1995.
Thousands of people gathered Thursday night in mostly Muslim Malaysia for a memorial Mass.
Thousands of mourners lined the streets in Mexico City Thursday to pay their respects to the pope while watching his empty popemobile roll by. The vehicle was used by John Paul during four of his five visits to Mexico. Officials let it cruise slowly through the streets as a gesture to the late Catholic leader. It was driven to the Basilica of Guadalupe, where John Paul canonized an Indian saint during his final trip to Mexico three years ago.
Sainthood Movement Growing For Pope
A groundswell has emerged to declare Pope John Paul II a saint.
The call comes not only from ordinary Catholics, but priests and high Vatican officials. One American cardinal said it wouldn't surprise him at all if John Paul were to be "fast-tracked" to sainthood.
Another cardinal appeared to jump-start the process Sunday when he called the pope in his written homily "John Paul the Great."
Under rules changed by the pope himself, the process can begin as soon as one year after death. For someone to be canonized a saint, the Vatican must verify two miracles attributed to them, a process that can normally take centuries. Italian newspapers are already reporting supposed miraculous events attributed to John Paul's intercession.
There are calls to skip beatification, but one priest said that "would not do full justice to the man."
Bush: 'One Of The Highlights Of My Presidency'
President George W. Bush said attending Pope John Paul's funeral was "one of the higlights" of his presidency. The president spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One as he headed home to his Texas ranch.
He called the service "majestic," and said he was moved by the music and the sight of the pontiff's plain wooden casket.
Bush was the first U.S. president ever to attend a papal funeral. He was joined by his wife, and by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and two of his predecessors -- his father and former President Bill Clinton. They sat with other leaders in St. Peter's Square.
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