For a third and final day, queues of faithful wended their way up St. Peter’s Square to bid farewell to Pope Francis, whose body lay in state in a wooden casket in the eponymous basilica, his face uncovered.
Under an exit sign at the far end of the square, mourners filing out of the papal basilica crossed paths with those who were only beginning their slow ascent, embraced by Bernini’s iconic colonnades.
“It was brief but very intense,” said Monique from France, travelling with a group of fellow pilgrims from the French Alps.
“His face looked waxy but I’m glad I saw it,” she said of the first Latin American pope, whose body was brought to St. Peter’s Basilica in a solemn procession on Wednesday, two days after he died of a stroke at age 88.
Since then, almost 130,000 visitors from across the world have filed past his casket, perched on a ramp facing mourners, with four Swiss Guards standing at attention, the Vatican said Friday.
Read more‘A very special energy’: Pope Francis lies in state at the Vatican
‘We loved him very much’
Monique and her group showed up soon after 7am, just as the Holy Door reopened after the basilica, which had stayed open through the night, was briefly shut for cleaning.
“It was surprisingly quick and all very well organised,” said Monique, who was making her visit to the seat of the papacy. “The only imperative was to keep moving, to avoid people swooning over his body,” she added.
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Her friend Thérèse said Vatican staff kept repeating “presto, presto!” (quick) and “no photo!” as they urged on the crowd and sought to prevent curious visitors from snapping pictures with their smartphones.
“There were grave faces, and most people sensibly put their phones away as they approached the casket,” she added. “But in some cases it felt like unwelcome tourism. Some tried until the end to take a photo.”
As the rain began to fall and visitors sought cover under souvenir stores, three nuns made their way to the exit, sheltered by their blue-grey veils. The trio, who belonged to the Sisters of Jesus the Good Shepherd, a congregation based in Nigeria’s Abuja, said they wished to see the pope one last time.
“To see him lying there, lifeless … it’s not easy,” said Sister Dorothy. “We prayed for him as he was called back to God to rest, after doing such a great job.”
The huge crowds did not spoil their time of prayer, added Sister Queen Darleen. “We loved him very much, he was a good man,” she said, standing in the square where tens of thousands of people will attend the late pontiff’s funeral Mass on Saturday.
Francis and Francesco
At least 130 foreign delegations have confirmed their presence at the funeral on St. Peter’s Square, including 50 heads of state and 10 reigning monarchs.
A procession will then carry Francis though central Rome to his final resting place in the Basilica of St. Mary Major, near his favorite icon of the Virgin Mary.
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Mourners still had a few hours on Friday to witness the pope’s open casket, which Vatican officials were set to close at 8pm in a ceremony attended by senior aides.
“It feels strange to be here, at the Vatican, when the pope has just died,” said Federica from the city of Modena, near Bologna, who was able to pay her respects to the pontiff accompanied by her three teenage sons.
“It’s very meaningful for me, but also for the boys,” said the practising Catholic, pointing to her youngest son.
“He was born the same year Pope Francis was appointed,” she added. “And his name is Francesco.”
This article was adapted from the original in French by Benjamin Dodman.
