Two icons, millions of mourners... tears flow for Pele and the Pope
THEY both seem to have benefited from divine inspiration during their wildly different lifetimes.
And yesterday thousands of mourners gathered to pay their respects to two of the most recognised men on the planet.
Former Pope Benedict XVI and Brazilian footballing legend Pele began lying in state for their respective disciples from around the world.
As dawn broke over the Vatican, Catholics were lining up to mourn the passing of the Pope Emeritus at St Peter’s Basilica.
Followers entered from 9am and stopped to pray by his body, which was adorned in red papal mourning robes and with a gold-trimmed mitre. Hours later the coffin of three-time World Cup winner Pele was placed at the centre of his own cathedral – Santos FC’s Urbano Caldeira football stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Pele scored over 600 goals for the top-tier club over 18 years and it became his spiritual home. Thousands of fans in Brazil and Santos shirts queued overnight to get a glimpse of his hearse before his open casket was placed on the pitch.
Former Brazil midfielder Ze Roberto and Pele’s son Edinho helped carry his coffin while floral wreaths were sent by Neymar, Vinicius Junior and Real Madrid. Edinho was seen resting his hand on his father’s forehead and saying a prayer before the event began.
Pele’s widow Marcia Aoki was then seen placing a rosary on her husband’s body before embracing Edinho.
There will be a procession through the streets of Santos today before a private family burial after Pele’s death from cancer at 82 on December 29.
Meanwhile Pope Benedict’s body will be displayed for three days. Pope Francis will preside over his funeral in St Peter’s Square on Thursday – the first time a Pope will be buried by his successor. The Pope Emeritus, who died aged 95 on New Year’s Eve, will be laid to rest in tombs beneath the Basilica.