Papal Gentlemen
Borne on the shoulders of the Papal Gentlemen, the coffin of Pope John Paul II is taken from the altar for the Rite of Interment.
The Papal Gentlemen, also called the Gentlemen of His Holiness, are the attendants of the pope and his papal household in Vatican City. They serve in the Apostolic Palace near St. Peter's Basilica. Historically, members of the Papal Gentlemen come from families that have long served the papal household over the course of several centuries as butlers and footmen.
Categories: History of the Papacy | Catholic-related stubs