Four Catholic groups held a mass at a local church Monday morning for Pope John Paul II, who died Sunday at home in Vatican City.

The Catholic Patriotic Association of China (CPAC), the Chinese Catholic Bishops College (CCBC), the Catholic Patriotic Association of Beijing (CPAB), the Catholic Church Affairs Commission of Beijing (CCACB) and the Diocese of Beijing held the solemn requiem mass at Beijing's South Church.

The mass, attended by nearly 1,000 Catholics, was given by Father Ma Yinglin, also the CPAC's deputy chairman and secretary-general of CCBC.

Catholic groups around the country also held religious rituals for the Pope. 

(Xinhua News Agency April 4, 2005)