Sydney Catholics celebrate beatification

1 May 2011, 9:31 pm   -   Source: AAP

Sydneysiders witness beatification of Pope John Paul II in Rome, by watching the ceremony live at St Mary's Cathedral.

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Up to 1000 Sydneysiders have witnessed the beatification of Pope John Paul II in Rome, by watching the ceremony live via a large screen at St Mary's Cathedral.

St Peter's Square, Rome, where the solemn mass was held, was overflowing with pilgrims waiving flags from around the world on Sunday.

The last time the square had been similarly full was when Pope John Paul died in 2005.

The ceremony was watched by Sydneysiders at St Mary's Cathedral early on Sunday evening.

The live cross began at 6pm (AEST) following an afternoon of festivities which included food stalls, music and dancing.

Earlier in the day hundreds of worshippers attended a mass at the cathedral, which was led by Cardinal George Pell.

Many from the Italian and Polish community were present, including Poland's Consul General, Daniel R Gromann.

After the mass Cardinal Pell blessed a bronze statute of Pope John Paul II outside the western wall of the Cathedral, in Sydney's CBD.

Cardinal Pell said he believed Pope John Paul would become a saint within five years.

"This is the penultimate stage; he'll be declared blessed, there'll be a pause - I don't know three years, five years, some period of time, before he's canonised," he told AAP.

Meanwhile in Rome crowds chanted "santo subito" (sainthood now).

"Pope John Paul II was admired by people of all faiths and even no faiths," Katrina Lee, spokeswoman for the Catholic Church said.

"His funeral is still the largest to have been held anywhere in the world," she said.

Those who attended Sunday's mass at St Mary's Cathedral included Catherine Wilson.

"He was very well respected and led the Catholic Church through some very unsteady times," she told AAP.

"I think it's right be become a saint eventually, this is really the first step towards that stage."

For that to happen, the Vatican must declare John Paul II responsible for a second miracle.

"I'm very sure he will eventually become a saint," Michael Carmichael, who was also in the congregation said.

"These things obviously don't happen overnight and they're not done on popular support.

"But I've got no doubt there is support for his sainthood."

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