North Koreans Celebrate Mass for Pope

[emad]

North Koreans Celebrate Mass for Pope

By Associated Press

April 11, 2005, 9:25 AM EDT

PYONGYANG, North Korea -- About 100 Roman Catholics in the North Korean capital celebrated a memorial Mass for Pope John Paul II at the only Catholic church in the communist nation.

The mourners, including many women wearing white head coverings, sang hymns and received communion during Sunday's Mass, according to video taken by Associated Press Television News. The service was officiated by an ethnic Korean priest from the United States.

A choir in pink dresses sang as a woman played the piano. The congregation included women wearing white head coverings.

"When I first heard about the pope passing away, I was very surprised, although of course I knew already that he had been sick," said Kim Yong Il, an official at Chang Chung Catholic Church. "When I heard the news that he had died, as a Catholic I felt very sad."

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-pope-nkorea,0,6193074.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines