The faithful are paying their respects to Pope Francis, whose body was transferred from his residence in the Vatican to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday (23).
The Pope’s open casket was carried in a solemn procession through St. Peter’s Square, where about 20,000 pilgrims had gathered, Vatican media reported.
When the casket crossed the square, bells rang and the crowd erupted in applause – a traditional Italian sign of respect.
The Pope died on Monday at 88 years old, after a stroke and a battle against double pneumonia, which led him to spend five weeks in the hospital earlier this year. The first Latin American leader of the Catholic Church, he held the position for 12 years.
His body will lie in state until Friday evening.
Soon after the event began, the line of faithful already lasted eight hours, Italian media reported. By mid-afternoon, tens of thousands of people were already crowding the square.
The Vatican announced on Wednesday afternoon that it may extend the church’s operating hours beyond midnight due to the large number of people wishing to pay their respects.
The church was scheduled to close at midnight local time on Wednesday and Thursday, and at 7 p.m. on Friday, before the casket is sealed.
Inside St. Peter’s Basilica, a steady stream of people headed to the Pope’s casket to pay their respects. Some knelt while others prayed and made the sign of the cross before proceeding slowly.
Many stayed to admire the stunning beauty of the basilica. The atmosphere is calm and solemn, despite the thousands of people present.
Dignitaries from around the world will attend the funeral on Saturday, April 26.
Pope Francis left clear instructions that he wanted a smaller ceremony, in line with his simpler tastes as pontiff. He arranged for a benefactor to pay for everything.
Unlike the vast majority of his predecessors, he will not be buried in St. Peter’s Basilica, but in a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in central Rome, under a tombstone with only his name.
Source: BBC