After the casket bearing Pope Francis’ body was placed in St Peter’s Basilica, tens of thousands of mourners lined up to pay their respects.
The open casket was transferred 23 April from the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae, where the pope had lived, to the basilica. As the day progressed, two lines—one to the right of the basilica, the other circling around the left—formed.
Moving at a snail’s pace, the lines converged at security checkpoints underneath the colonnade around St Peter’s Square before joining as one massive line heading through the Holy Door and turning toward the central nave.
Waiting times varied, with some told to expect a three- or four-hour wait, while some people leaving the basilica had said it had taken nearly five hours.
Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office, said that in the first 24 hours viewing was open to the public, that is as of 11am 24 April, more than 50,000 people paid their respects to Pope Francis, who died 21 April.
The Vatican had originally announced that the basilica would close at midnight 23-24 April. However, given the turnout, viewing hours were extended, with the basilica finally closing for 90 minutes at 5.30am.
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