Hundreds of individuals filed through the central aisle of St. Peter’s Basilica to pay their final respects to Pope Francis on Wednesday, the beginning of three days of public viewing ahead of the pontiff’s funeral.
Throngs of abnormal faithful made their way slowly to the Sixteenth-century basilica’s predominant altar, where Francis’ easy open wood casket was perched on a slight ramp, as 4 Swiss Guards stood at attention. Over the approaching days, tens of 1000’s of individuals are expected to go through the basilica, and the Vatican said that it could keep the basilica open past midnight as a consequence of high first-day turnout.
Many individuals paying their respects had come to Rome to have a good time Easter, on a spring vacation or other personal business, only to be met with the news of Francis’ death on Easter Monday. Out of devotion to the Argentine pope and his message of inclusion, they joined the procession of mourners that wended through the Holy Door and down the central aisle of the basilica.
Francis was specified by red robes, clasping a rosary and wearing a bishop’s miter, the standard pointed headdress. Mourners waited hours to succeed in the casket — which sat behind a cordon — some holding their cell phones aloft as they neared him to snap photos in what has grow to be a contemporary ritual.
Cardinals stand by the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state for 3 days, after it arrived in St. Peter’s Basilica on the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco).
“It gave me chills,” said Ivenes Bianco, as she left the basilica. She was in Rome from the southern city of Brindisi for medical care, and had come to pay her respects.
“He was essential to me because he encouraged co-existence. He brought many individuals together.”
Cardinals, meanwhile, met in private to finalize preparations for Saturday’s funeral and plan the conclave to elect Francis’ successor.
Francis died on Monday at age 88, capping a 12-year pontificate characterised by his concern for the poor and message of inclusion, but in addition some criticism from conservatives who sometimes felt alienated by his progressive bent.
Cardinals walk through St. Peter’s Square ahead of the coffin of Pope Francis, who will lie in state at St. Peter’s Basilica for 3 days, on the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025.
AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru
Wednesday opened with the bells of St. Peter’s tolling as pallbearers carried Francis’ body from the Vatican hotel where he lived into the basilica in a procession through the identical piazza where he had delivered what became his final goodbye. Francis made a surprise popemobile tour through the faithful on Easter Sunday, after being assured by his nurse he could despite his continued frail health from a bout of pneumonia.
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Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who’s running the Vatican temporarily until a brand new pope is elected, led the procession down the central aisle to the altar, with clouds of incense preceding him and the choir chanting the Litany of Saints hymn. In pairs, cardinals in red cassocks approached the casket, bowed and made an indication of the cross, followed by small groups of purple-robbed bishops, black-clad ushers, priests and nuns — after which the doors were thrown open to the general public.
Heads of state are expected for Francis’ funeral, however the three days of public viewing within the basilica allow abnormal Catholics to grieve the Argentine pope. The viewing ends Friday at 7 p.m., after which Francis’ casket shall be closed and sealed.
Simplified rituals reflect Francis’ wishes
Francis’ death and funeral inaugurates a fastidiously orchestrated period of transition within the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church, with cardinals gathering over the approaching days before getting into a conclave, the secretive ritual voting within the Sistine Chapel to elect a brand new pope. There are 135 cardinals under age 80 and eligible to vote, and the brand new pontiff will likely come from inside their ranks. The conclave is just not expected to start before May 5.
South Korean Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, who heads the Vatican’s office for priests, predicted a brief conclave, but acknowledged the transition is filled with uncertainties.
“We’ll see what the Holy Spirit says,” he said Wednesday. Asked if the subsequent pope could come from Asia, where the Catholic Church is growing, he insisted: “For the Lord, there’s no East or West.”
Papua Recent Guinea’s first and only cardinal, John Ribat, prepared Wednesday to depart for Rome to take part in the vote, pleased to represent the poor South Pacific island nation of 12 million people and greater than 800 languages in a College of Cardinals that Francis greatly diversified over 12 years.
Faithful gather to pay their respects to Pope Francis inside St. Peter’s Basilica on the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where his body will lie in state for 3 days. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino).
“The essential thing is that … Papua Recent Guinea is a component of the church, the worldwide church. And to give you the option to have a representative from here to be within the conclave, it’s a giant thing,” Ribart told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. He said he hoped the subsequent pope could be someone who could lead on the church in “a way that’s truthful and binds everyone together.”
Francis first lay in state within the Domus Santa Marta hotel in a personal viewing for Vatican residents and the papal household. Images released by the Vatican on Tuesday showed the pope in an open casket, wearing the standard pointed headdress of bishops and red robes, his hands folded over a rosary. The Vatican’s No. 2, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, was pictured praying by Francis.
Once contained in the basilica, Francis’ casket wasn’t placed on an elevated bier — as was the case with past popes — but placed on a ramp, facing the pews. It was consistent with Francis’ wishes for all of the rituals surrounding a papal funeral to be simplified to reflect his belief that the pope’s role is that of easy pastor, not world leader.
“For me, Pope Francis represents a terrific pastor, in addition to a terrific friend to all of us,’’ said Micale Sales, visiting St. Peter’s Basilica from Brazil.
Italian police have tightened security for the viewing and the funeral, carrying out foot and horse patrols across the Vatican, where pilgrims continued to reach for the Holy Yr celebrations that Francis opened in December. The faithful who walk through St. Peter’s Holy Door during such years are granted indulgences, a method to help atone for sins.
“I believe he spread a positive message around the globe, saying there shouldn’t be any violence, there needs to be peace around the globe,’’ said Amit Kukreja, from Australia.
Planning for the conclave is now underway
The funeral has been set for Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, and shall be attended by leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy.
Cardinals are continuing their meetings this week to plan the conclave and make other decisions about running the Catholic Church.
Two women hold a calendar with pictures of Francis in St. Peter’s Square on the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber).
History’s first Latin American pontiff charmed the world together with his humble style and concern for the poor but alienated many conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change.
Francis had some reservations about his final popemobile tour through St. Peter’s Square on Easter, Vatican News reported on Tuesday. But he overcame them, the news agency said, and was thankful that he had greeted the gang. He died the subsequent morning.
“The death of a pope is just not a small thing, because we’ve lost our leader,’’ Julio Henrique from Brazil said just outside the basilica. “But still, in a couple of days, we may have a brand new leader. So … the thing of hope stays. Who will assume Peter’s throne?”
—Associated Press reporters Silvia Stellacci and Trisha Thomas contributed to this report.
