Dedicated mourners queued overnight to pay respects to Pope Francis, as the Vatican extended viewing hours to see the popular pontiff’s remains.
More than 20,000 people have so far stood in line for hours in St Peter’s Square to make their way into the basilica to catch a glimpse of Francis’s body, which is laid out in an open coffin.
The 88-year-old, who died on Easter Monday, has been dubbed by some as the “people’s pope”, having spoken out for the poor and those in need in his lifetime and shunned many of the extravagances that come with papal life.
Since his remains were transferred to St Peter’s Basilica, waves of mourners stood patiently in line, with the queue snaking its way through the square to the Holy Door of the building.
Thousands more are expected to flock to pay their respects throughout Thursday and until 7pm local time on Friday.
While it had been expected that the basilica would close at midnight, it remained open for most of the night, save for an hour for cleaning, to allow more people to pay their respects.
Among those filing past the coffin, some blessing themselves with the sign of the cross or pausing briefly in prayer, were a mother and daughter who described it as a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience.
Primary school teacher Marguerite O’Leary and her teenage daughter Ellen, from Co Clare, stood for more than five hours on Wednesday to be among the first members of the public to see the late pontiff’s remains inside St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
Mrs O’Leary said she felt it was their “duty to represent the people of Ireland when we were lucky enough to be here” in the days following the Pope’s death, while her 14-year-old daughter described it as “amazing to be in there” and a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”.
Meanwhile, Patrick Gavigan, based in Co Kildare, said it was “momentous” to be inside the basilica to witness the Pope’s remains close up after queuing with his wife Alice for almost four hours.
The retired couple, who are in Rome celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary year, said they were “so happy” to have been able to experience what they said was a historic occasion – having first met each other on a papal visit by Pope John Paul II to Dublin in 1979.
Security measures have been heightened around the Vatican, with Italian police conducting foot and horse patrols in the area.
Police have been managing crowd control at various points on the approach to the square, with some checking bags, as mourners mingled with the usual tourist population.
Large crowds are also expected for Saturday’s funeral in St Peter’s Square, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin and President Michael D Higgins to attend.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prince William also be there, alongside other global leaders and dignitaries including US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In accordance with the late pope’s wishes, Francis will be buried at the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome, breaking with the tradition of papal burials in St Peter’s Basilica.
