Sarah Rainesford and Laura Gotziatars
The pontificate’s body laid out in an open ffin was transferred to the church in formal processions
The mourners pay tribute to Pope Francis, whose body was moved from his Vatican residence to St. Peter’s Basilica before funeral on Saturday.
Vatican media said the open co-official of the Pope was carried in a strict procession Wednesday morning through St. Peter’s Square.
As ffin crossed the square, the bells rang out and the crowd broke into applause – a sign of traditional Italian respect.
The Pope passed away on Monday at the age of 88 after a battle with stroke and dual pneumonia, and will spend five weeks in the hospital earlier this year. The first Latin American leader of the Catholic Church, he has been in the role for 12 years.
On Wednesday, the Red Robe Cardinals and the white-dressed priest walked the Pope’s council from his personal residence in the guesthouse in Casa Santa Marta to St. Peter’s Basilica. The queue continued in just under 40 minutes.
The Swiss security guard in charge of the Pope’s safety escorted his co to the altar of the church.
Reuters
His body will lie in the church nation until Friday evening. Public viewing began on Wednesday at 10:00 local time (10:00 BST).
As soon as the event began, the queue was already eight hours long, Italian media reported. By the middle of the afternoon, tens of thousands of people were lined up in the square.
The Vatican said Wednesday afternoon that church opening hours may be extended beyond midnight due to the large number of people looking to pay respect.
The church was scheduled to close at midnight on Wednesday and Thursday at 7pm on Friday.
Mexican natives, Lewis and Macarena wanted to come to Rome for their honeymoon and meet the Pope who would give the newlyweds a special blessing. Lewis told the BBC that the Pope’s final resting place allowed them to feel connected.
“Pope Francis is a saint and he will bless us from heaven,” Lewis said.
Mary Ellen, an American living in Italy, said she came to the Vatican on a one-night train to “say goodbye.”
“I love Papa Francesco,” she said. “He loves immigrants because he is humble and kind. I know he holds up a lot of difficult things in the Vatican. He fought power and the power of the Vatican.
She said when she handed out the co, she would pray and ask Pope Francis for help in her own work with immigrants.
Reuters
Nuns participate in their mourning at St. Peter’s Square
Inside St. Peter, under the careful marble eyes of the Pope and the saint, a steady stream of people made a way to honor the Pope’s cas.
Before moving forward slowly, one kneeled and prayed, crossing himself.
Many remained to admire the incredible beauty of the basilica. Despite thousands of people attending, the atmosphere was quiet and solid.
Two women who had been waiting five hours to see the Pope said they had arrived at the basilica line at 09:00.
One told the BBC that saying goodbye to the Pope was important for her.
“I followed everything he did in all these years. Even if I was home, it’s as if I had travelled the world with him. He likes to go everywhere and prioritizes the poor,” she said.
Asked what it was like to see him on his ffin, she replied: “It’s like the guy we saw on TV.”
Fredrik, a native of Ghana but Polish native, said the Pope “does his best” and “it’s up to us to continue his good work.”
Eva Asensio, a Mexican on holiday in Italy, said she felt affinity with the Argentine Pope.
“We saw him as a good Pope. Someone who supported everyone, no matter where you came from, regardless of your sexual orientation. He unites us.”
Margaux, a Frenchman and living in Rome, said “it is powerful to live this.”
To her, Pope Francis meant “hope,” and his more progressive social views were “very important,” she said.
“I hope the next Pope follows his path,” she said.
High-ranking officials from around the world, including British Prime Minister Sir Kiel Starmer and Prince William, will attend funerals on Saturday.
Pope Francis left clear instructions that he wanted a small ceremony to suit his simpler taste as Pontife. He had arranged for his benefactor to pay it all.
Unlike the majority of his predecessors, he is not buried in St. Peter, but is located under a tombstone engraved solely in his name in a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the heart of Rome.
Before being moved to St. Peter’s, Pope Francis was lying in the open co-home of his house’s chapel, sandwiched between Swiss security guards and cardinals in prayer.
His final release took place on Easter Sunday, where he made a brief statement from a wheelchair to the public gathered at St. Peters Square. He greeted the worshippers and blessed babies as he was driven through the crowd.
His Pope’s apartment is sealed with wax, marking the beginning of an era known as the Sede Bacante or empty seating, which continues until the new head of the church is elected.
Additional Reports by Jorge Perez
