North Korean Catholics Are Seen Mourning Pope

About 100 Roman Catholics here in the North Korean capital celebrated a memorial Mass for Pope John Paul II at the only Catholic church in the communist nation.

The mourners, including many women wearing white head coverings, sang hymns and received Communion during Sunday’s Mass, according to video taken by Associated Press Television News.

The service was officiated by an ethnic Korean priest from the United States.

A choir in pink dresses sang as a woman played the piano.

“When I first heard about the pope passing away, I was very surprised, although of course I knew already that he had been sick,” said Kim Yong Il, an official at Chang Chung Catholic Church. “When I heard the news that he had died, as a Catholic I felt very sad.”

Kim said his church association held a prayer gathering in the church, and Catholic families prayed privately upon hearing the news of John Paul’s death April 2.

The pontiff’s death was not announced in the official state media until three days later.

North Korea does not encourage the practice of religion among its tightly controlled population of about 23 million, although the country’s constitution guarantees religious freedom.

The communist state says it has 3,000 Catholics, according to South Korea’s Unification Ministry. North Korea has no seminaries for training priests.