In a powerful display of devotion and sorrow, over 50,000 people have filed through St Peter’s Basilica over the past 36 hours, offering their final respects to Pope Francis, whose body now lies in an open coffin at the heart of the Vatican.
From the first light of Wednesday morning, mourners many weeping, others silently praying lined up in ever-growing numbers.
The line soon stretched out of St Peter’s Square, spilling into the streets beyond. By Thursday morning, the Vatican extended viewing hours to accommodate the unprecedented crowd, keeping the basilica open through the night.
The pontiff, who passed away on Monday at 88 after suffering a stroke, had spent earlier months battling double pneumonia.
His final days were marked by declining health, but also by a deep spiritual presence that defined his 12-year papacy.
Pope Francis made history as the first Latin American to lead the Catholic Church. His papacy was marked by humility, reform, and an unyielding focus on social justice a legacy that drew people from around the world to honor him in death.
On Wednesday, a solemn procession carried his body from his residence to the basilica.
Red-robed cardinals and white-robed priests accompanied the Pope’s coffin, while bells tolled and thousands of hands met in applause a gesture of reverence rooted in Italian tradition.
The Swiss Guards, clad in their ceremonial uniforms, stood by in watchful honor.
By 11:00 on Wednesday, the basilica opened to the public. Within hours, tens of thousands had gathered. Police told the BBC they could not close the basilica at midnight as planned—the line had become too long, the desire to say goodbye too strong.
Viewing paused briefly early Thursday morning, but resumed again at 07:00. Still, the flow of mourners didn’t slow.
The Pope’s body will lie in state until Friday evening. At 20:00, a solemn liturgical rite will seal the coffin under the supervision of Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo responsible for overseeing the Vatican in the interregnum before a new Pope is elected.
As the world watches and remembers, the enduring image remains: a people in quiet procession, united by grief and faith, walking past a man who changed the course of the Catholic Church and touched millions along the way.
