"The funeral for Pope John Paul was a beautiful celebration of his extraordinary legacy and reflected his gift of reaching out to people from different countries. It was moving to see his impact on the pilgrims from around the world who gathered for the mass. I was particularly touched by the number of Polish flags signifying the thousands of people from his native land who traveled to pay their respects to the Pope," said Senator Collins. "I feel truly blessed to have participated in this mass for a leader whose courage and deep faith inspired millions. It is an experience that I shall always treasure."
The Senate delegation included a total of 14 Senators. Senators Frist, Biden, Bunning, DeWine, Dodd, Domenici, Durbin, Kennedy, Kerry, Leahy, Martinez, Mikulski, and Santorum also attended the funeral mass.
In 2001, Senator Collins was among a bi-partisan delegation of Senators and Representatives who traveled to the Vatican to present Pope John Paul II with a Congressional gold medal, authorized by an act of Congress and specially designed for the Pontiff.
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