President Off To Mourn Pope

4 KINGS, 5 QUEENS, 70 PRESIDENTS to attend
President J.A. Kufuor left Accra for Rome yesterday at the head of a high-powered government delegation to attend the burial of Pope John Paul II on Friday. He was accompanied by some senior members of the Government and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On Tuesday, the President signed a book of condolence at the Apostolic Nunciature in which he wrote, ?The Pope was truly a great human being, a very spiritual man and Christ like. The world is the poorer for his passing away.? President Kufuor is expected back home on Sunday.

The funeral of the Pope on Friday will draw the biggest gathering of the powerful and the humble in modern times. Four kings, five queens, at least 70 presidents and prime ministers and more than 14 leaders of other religions will attend alongside what the Vatican expects will be two million faithful; the largest number of pilgrims to converge on St. Peter's Square in its history.