A special prayer was held at the global headquarters of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity on Friday a few hours before Pope John Paul II's funeral in Vatican on Friday.

Dressed in their trademark white and blue saris, nuns assembled in the central hall of Mother House and said special prayers that lasted over 90 minutes.

• The Pontiff passes on

The Order prayed for the Pontiff's peaceful journey to heaven.

Sister Nirmala, Missionaries Superior-General, is in Vatican to attend funeral of the Pope. When the Pontiff was ill, she had held special prayer for his speedy recovery.

Pope John Paul II was instrumental in taking Mother Teresa close to sainthood by beatifying her in October 2003.