Coffin of Blessed John Paul II moved to chapel in Vatican basilica

The coffin of Blessed John Paul II, which had been exposed for veneration in the front of St. Peter's basilica during the weekend of his beatification, has now been moved to a final resting place in the chapel of St. Sebastian.

The coffin was moved on Monday night, May 2, after the basilica had been closed to the public. Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the archpriest of the basilica, presided at a short ceremony as the coffin was placed below the altar of the chapel. Among the other prelates who participated in the ceremony were Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the former Secretary of State; Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the current Secretary of State; Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the former prefect of the Congregation for Bishops; and Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, the former secretary to Pope John Paul II. Also in attendance were Archbishop Mieczyslas Mokrzycki, another former secretary to the Pontiff; and Msgr. Slawomir Oder, the postulator for his cause of beatification.

The final resting place of the newly beatified Pope is marked with a simple marble tombstone, inscribed Beatus Ioannes Paulus PP II. The chapel of St. Sebastian is located near the main door of the basilica, just past Michelangelo's Pieta.