St. Peter's open all night for Pope Francis mourning due to overwhelming public turnout
Pope Francis
, whose body lay in a simple wooden coffin. The turnout was so overwhelming that the basilica only closed for an hour on Thursday morning for cleaning.
A profound silence envelops the basilica as mourners from all corners of the world slowly make their way up the main aisle to bid their final farewells to Pope Francis,
who passed away on Monday following a stroke.
The long wait in line along the grand Via della Conciliazione, through St. Peter's Square and into the basilica has fostered a sense of community among the mourners, united by their admiration for the Argentine pontiff's legacy of inclusivity and humility.
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Emiliano Fernandez, a devout Catholic from Mexico, found himself still waiting in line around midnight after two hours. "I don't even care how much time I wait here. It's just the opportunity to (show) how I admired Francisco in his life,'' said Fernandez, whose respect for the pope deepened during his 2016 visit to Mexico.
"I think because of the respect that I have for him and the great person he was, it's worth the wait."
Faithful gather to pay their respects to Pope Francis inside St. Peter's Basilica
(Image: Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
According to the latest figures released by the Vatican, over 20,000 people had paid their respects during the first 8 1⁄2 hours of public viewing on Wednesday. The basilica only closed briefly on Thursday morning, from 6 a.m. until 7 a.m., before resuming its regular opening hours. Among the early mourners was a group of 14 year old churchgoers from near Milan, who had journeyed for the now-postponed canonization of the first millennial saint. Also present was a woman seeking divine intervention for a successful surgery and an Italian family introducing their young children to the sight of the pope's body."
We came because we didn't bring them when he was alive, so we thought we would bring them for a final farewell,'' shared Rosa Scorpati, exiting the basilica on Wednesday with her three tots in pushchairs. "They were good, but I don't think they really understood because they haven't yet had to deal with death."
Like many others, the Scorpati clan from Calabria found themselves in Rome for an Easter break, only to be confronted with the news of Pope Francis' passing on Easter Monday.
Faithful at St. Peter's Square
(Image: Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Moved by their devotion to the pope and his message of inclusivity, the bereaved faithful joined the procession of mourners that snaked from St. Peter's Square through the basilica's Holy Door, with those seeking penance earning an indulgence, a form of atonement granted during the Jubilee Holy Year. The queue then extended down the basilica's central aisle to the pope's unadorned wooden casket.
By late Wednesday, the wait time seemed to have ballooned to three or four hours and was still increasing. A crowd control official estimated the wait to be closer to five hours.
The line of mourners stretched down the heart of Via della Conciliazione, within a lane reserved for Jubilee pilgrims.
The body of Pope Francis is carried into St. Peter's Basilica
(Image: Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
After three days of public viewing, a funeral Mass attended by heads of state will take place on Saturday in St. Peter's Square. The pope will subsequently be laid to rest in a niche within the St. Mary Major Basilica, close to his beloved Madonna icon.
The passing of Pope Francis at 88 marks the end of a 12-year pontificate defined by his compassion for the impoverished and his inclusive message. However, his progressive stance drew criticism from some conservative quarters who felt sidelined.
On Wednesday, a procession of priests, bishops, and cardinals escorted Francis' body from a private viewing inside the Vatican to St. Peter's Square. This ceremonial display contrasted with the more personal interactions of ordinary mourners at the public viewing.
People queue to pay their respects
(Image: LaPresse)
Francis lay in state in an open casket, positioned on a ramp facing the mourners, with four Swiss Guards standing guard. As the crowd approached the casket, many raised their smartphones to capture a photograph.
One nun, accompanying an elderly woman with a cane, walked away weeping, "My pope is gone.''Such despair was uncommon. The prevailing sentiment was one of gratitude for a pope who had, through his actions, taught many to broaden their perspectives."
"I am very devoted to the pope,'' shared Ivenes Bianco, who was in Rome from Brindisi, Italy, for a surgery. "He was important to me because he brought many people together by encouraging coexistence.'' She highlighted Francis' acceptance of the gay community and his unwavering commitment to aiding the poor.
A gull flies above people waiting
(Image: Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Humbeline Coroy, who hails from Perpignan, France, initially came to Rome for the scheduled canonization of 15 year old Carlo Acutis on Sunday. However, following the pope's passing, she decided to stay and pay her respects to Francis. She found joy in interacting with Japanese mourners they encountered while waiting under the sun in St. Peter's Square.
"For me, it is a lot of things. In my job, I work with disabled children, and I traveled to Madagascar to work with poor people. Being here, and close to the pope, is a way of integrating these experiences, and make them concrete,'' she expressed.
People gather in St. Peter's Square
(Image: Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Coroy also carried prayers for her father, who is battling cancer.
For Alessandra Nardi, the pope's demise stirred memories of her dear uncle Luigi's death three years prior. Luigi used to phone her from St. Peter's Square when he attended Pope Francis' Mass.
He "let me hear the bells toll. It was a beautiful thing."
Riccardo Ojedea, a visitor from Colombia, shared that his two-hour wait in line to pay homage to the pope revealed to him the deep affection "humanity has for the pope.''"He left a very important legacy for everyone,'' he reflected, "to make this world happier. ''.
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Echoing Tamaki's sentiment is former apprentice Eddie Murakami, a Japanese pizzaolo behind the popular Beyond the Dough along Arab Street. As a fan of sweet and savoury combinations, which make up the backbone of countless beloved dishes in Southeast Asia, Murakami hones in on his time spent in the United States, where he had fond memories of enjoying Hawaiian pizza regularly. 'It is such an appealing contrast,' he confesses. 'Pineapples on pizza tend to divide opinions, but that's why it makes it interesting.' Will there ever be a democratic verdict? Above The pineapple pizza phenomenon unites all in a passionate yet benign discourse () Perhaps the pith of the pineapple pizza phenomenon isn't all that divisive. It is a dish that humbles acclaimed chefs, street food vendors, and foodies to the same level of passionate yet benign discourse, reminding us that taste, ultimately, remains subjective. So, whether you're team pineapple or resolutely opposed, this contentious debate will likely continue stirring up controversy as long as it may. And in a world where we can all agree on so little, my discord wouldn't be about fruit on pizza, but perhaps whether I should ask for extra cheese.
