POPE PRESIDES AT FUNERAL FOR CARDINAL RIGHI-LAMBERTINI

VATICAN CITY, OCT 6, 2000 (VIS) - This morning, at the Altar of the Cathedra in St. Peter's Basilica, John Paul II presided at the funeral of Cardinal Righi-Lambertini, who died yesterday in Rome at the age of 94. Members of the College of Cardinals concelebrated with the Holy Father.

In his homily, the Pope recalled that Cardinal Righi-Lambertini had been apostolic nuncio in Lebanon, Chile, Italy and France. "Cardinal Righi-Lambertini's pastoral and diplomatic work," he said, "generally took place in silence and without commotion. Precisely for this reason it was even more effective and fruitful, constantly inspired in the faith in divide providence and the optimism in the vision of human affairs that he learned at the school of Blessed John XXIII."

"For all the good that he, with the help of God's grace, was able to do in the various fields in which he carried out his precious pastoral and diplomatic activity, we give thanks to the Lord. We trust that our venerated brother, for the good done during his earthly life, may now meet face to face with Jesus, Whom he so loved and served in his brothers."

The Pope entrusted the spirit of the deceased "to Most Holy Mary, Queen of the Apostles and Mother of the Church, whom dear Cardinal Egano Righi-Lambertini tenderly loved and invoked. How often he was seen walking through the Vatican gardens, reciting the Rosary!"

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