Belgium’s bells to peal outfor Pope John Paul’s funeral

7 April 2005
 
BRUSSELS – Church bells across Belgium will ring out for the funeral of Pope John Paul II on Friday.

On Wednesday, the Belgium Episcopal Conference took the decision to sound them at 10am when the funeral in Rome starts.

The bishops of Antwerp, Bruges and Gent will hold memorial masses in the cities’ cathedrals on Friday, with several parish churches also planning special masses in the coming days.

At Mechelen-Brussels, the auxiliary bishop will give the Friday mass since its head, Cardinal Godfried Danneels, is in Rome.

As well as attending the funeral, Danneels will also be one of the 117 cardinals who will choose the next Pope in a conclave starting on 18 April.

On Wednesday, the media also reported that the head of the Belgian Catholic church had a chance of becoming head of the Vatican as a compromise choice between traditionalists and modernisers.

[Copyright Expatica 2005]

Subject: Belgian news