Sunlight and white lilies surrounded a portrait of Pope John Paul II while mourners gathered in prayer and song. About 50 people gathered at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 2210 Lincoln Way, Sunday afternoon to honor the pope.

“It’s about solidarity, it’s about praying together,” said Rachel Smith, sophomore in genetics.

Smith said it is important for the church to come together to offer support to each other and to the church as a whole.

The prayer service began in song, as members of the congregation each lit a white candle from the candle held by the Rev. Everett Hemann. The service, which lasted about 30 minutes, was filled with readings, prayers, songs and reflection time as Hemann asked God to welcome the pope into heaven.

“Give eternal rest to John Paul II, who served you faithfully on earth,” Hemann said during prayer. “Bring faith to your grieving church.”

The service included the reading of a letter written by John Paul II, in which he reflected the preparation for death.

“It is much more than just he has died,” said Andy May, sophomore in history. “We believe he has gone to a better place. So once we get past it, we have to understand he is with our Lord in heaven. He really is in a better place.”

Hemann was dressed in white robes for the service, and the church was still decorated in white for Easter. He said the color white is used in Catholic churches in the United States for funerals because it represents the resurrection celebrated during Easter mass.

The service ended with handshakes of peace and faces marked with both tears and smiles.

“Like any death, this is a family coming together,” said John Donaghy, campus minister at St. Thomas Aquinas. “The church is a worldwide community, and the pope is the symbol for our community.”

Donaghy said it was a powerful testament to the life of John Paul II and to the Catholic Church that all over the world people are coming together in prayer for the same reason.

“We are a family coming together to mourn the loss of an important person,” he said.

Hemann, who said he has met the pope twice, said John Paul II would be remembered for the work he performed to connect people together.

“Perhaps one thing that he did well, probably more so than anyone else in modern history, he helped people realize the human family. That we are, in fact, all part of one family,” he said.

John Paul II was very involved with the interfaith relationship between Christianity and other religions, Hemann said.

“I think John Paul made a tremendous mark in the world through that,” he said.

Hemann said he expects to hear from people who are saddened by the pope’s death more so than the last time, because this pope reigned for such a long period. Many people had the opportunity to meet him or to be touched by his work, he said.

A memorial Mass is planned for the day of the pope’s funeral, and there may be one or two more prayer services in the next week to help with the grieving process, he said.

The pope’s death is a chance for Catholics to learn more about their faith, May said.

“The next step is to honor his life and then to keep going on with what he has set in front of us to do,” May said.

“He’s the only pope I’ve ever known. I think he has done a lot of great things.”