For the service, the Pope was seated out with the people, not in front of the altar as usual. He is on the far right, with the choir against the pillar of the Holy Cross. The choir was amazing, all the more so because they were completely accapella -- no organ, no musical accompaniment whatsoever (as it is supposed to be, so I should hope so at the Vatican!). The bells too were completely silent, as we noticed when we were waiting in line outside and couldn't mark the passage of time by them! It was one of the most beautiful liturgies I have ever seen, elegantly simple. Look at the high altar - bare.