Under a basilica’s splendor, thousands gather for a final glimpse of a pope who led a simple life

Vatican City
CNN
 — 

In the splendor of St. Peter’s Basilica, with the sunshine glinting across the bronze canopy that towers over the main altar, thousands of Catholic pilgrims streamed in to glimpse the body of Pope Francis on the first of three days lying in state.

Francis’ coffin had been laid at the Altar of the Confessio, a sacred space in front of the main tomb of St. Peter, whom Catholics believe to be the first pope, after being transferred in procession from the chapel at his Casa Santa Marta residence earlier Wednesday.

People had arrived at St. Peter’s Square, in clear skies and hot spring sunshine, to watch the procession and to join the line to see the pope’s body in the basilica. By the end of the day, at least 19,430 had passed through, according to Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni.

Among them were Ludovico and Romano, 21 and 28, live just outside Rome and arrived Wednesday morning at 6 a.m. It felt important to come and say goodbye, they said. Ludovico, who saw him in person 15 years ago, said, “he was such a spiritual guide, and I wanted to come here to celebrate his life.”

Sitting alone, John, 64, a Rome resident who has seen the pope many times, said: “I am going to pray for him and pray for the world.”

By lunchtime, the line to enter St. Peter’s Basilica was snaking around the square and stretched as far as the Piazza del Risorgimento – just outside the walls of Vatican City.

Inside the basilica, sunshine poured through the windows but the mood was somber. Even with hundreds of people inside at one time, the basilica remained relatively quiet, except for some low chanting, music from the church musicians, and the occasional cry of a baby.

People who waited in line for hours to pass by the coffin have only a fraction of a moment to see the pontiff, with roughly 50 people passing each minute.

“It’s frustrating because you only have one second, so there is no time to pray,” said Victoria Risso from France, who waited for more than three hours with her husband and children. “But it was a powerful moment.”

Brinna Bitenco, 40, a Brazilian national, told CNN she was “emotional inside” after seeing the coffin, adding that it was a “really beautiful scene” in the basilica.

She admitted that seeing a photo of the pope since his death differs totally from seeing him in the flesh. “I really wish I could have seen him alive, he’s such a special person. Lying there it seems like an Angel is there, not a person. But he’s now in a better place, better than the rest of us.”

Elsewhere, people kneeled in chapels to pray in silence, and the confessional was open in four different languages. Nearly every offering candle in the church was lit – each electric candle would turn off only momentarily before another worshipper would donate to re-light it.

The basilica opened to the public at 11 a.m. local time (5 a.m. ET) Wednesday and will remain open until midnight. On Thursday and Friday, it will open at 7 a.m. and close at midnight.

Vatican City authorities have said that ahead of the closing hour, they will shut off the square and allow the remaining crowds to filter through the basilica past the pope. Those in the queue outside Vatican City, in Rome, will be allowed to stay in line overnight and not lose their place, meaning scores look set to camp outside.

As part of Francis’ push to simplify the papal funeral rites, his body is lying in state in an open wooden coffin, having done away with the tradition of having three coffins of cypress, lead and oak.

Before the procession a brief service was presided over by Cardinal Keivn Farrell Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who holds the position of camerlengo, tasked with making arrangements for the funeral and conclave in the weeks ahead. “Let us thank the Lord for countless gifts that he bestowed on the Christian people through His servant Pope Francis,” the camerlengo said in prayer.

The procession to transfer Francis’ body to the basilica traveled through Piazza Santa Marta and the Piazza dei Protomartiri Romani, passing through the Arch of the Bells and into St. Peter’s Square, before entering through the basilica’s central door.

Bells tolled slowly as the coffin entered the basilica at 9.30 a.m. local time, while mourners in the piazza outside broke into applause.

After lying in state for three days, Francis’ funeral will be held outside in St. Peter’s Square, beginning at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET) Saturday – six days after his death. The last papal funeral – for Pope Benedict XVI in 2023 – was also held six days after his death. As many as 250,000 dignitaries and onlookers are expected to attend.

US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are among the major European leaders traveling to the Vatican.

his speech, he urged world leaders to adopt concrete solutions to combat widespread poverty and environmental destruction.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”2095″ width=”3000″ loading=’lazy’/>

during a visit in which he showed solidarity with migrants fleeing war and poverty. ” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1669″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

was there to pay tribute to those who died in the Holocaust. ” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1664″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

two-day trip to Egypt to forge Muslim-Christian brotherhood and show solidarity with the country’s persecuted Coptic Christian minority.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1569″ width=”2790″ loading=’lazy’/>

private audience at the Vatican in May 2017. Joining the President are his wife, Melania, and his daughter Ivanka.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”2966″ width=”5272″ loading=’lazy’/>

the first time a pope has visited an Arab Gulf state, and it was the first time a pope had celebrated Mass in the Arabian Peninsula, the birthplace of Islam.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1403″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

the first-ever papal visit to Iraq, and it was Francis’ first trip outside Italy since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1654″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

shakes hands with a man dressed as Spider-Man while visiting with people at the Vatican in June 2021. The masked man, who works with sick children in hospitals, also gave a Spider-Man mask to the Pope.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1667″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

his trip to the Vatican in October 2021. Between them is Italian translator Elisabetta Savigni Ullmann. Challenge coins originated in the military, and this one included the insignia of a Delaware Army National Guard unit that Biden’s son Beau served in. Biden said during his visit that coins are given to “warriors and leaders” and that the pope is “the most significant warrior for peace I’ve ever met.” Biden, a devout lifelong Catholic, met with the Pope for 90 minutes and said he discussed “a lot of personal things” with the pontiff. It was the fourth meeting between Francis and Biden, but their first since Biden became President.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1667″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

Francis spoke of his “sorrow, indignation and shame” over the Catholic Church’s role in the abuse of Canadian Indigenous children in residential schools. He apologized and promised a “serious investigation” into what happened.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1973″ width=”3646″ loading=’lazy’/>

Benedict’s funeral was attended by tens of thousands at St. Peter’s Square.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”2000″ width=”3000″ loading=’lazy’/>

Francis’ visit to the DRC — the first papal visit since 1985 — was part of a six-day trip that also included South Sudan. In those two countries, Catholics comprise about half of the population and the Church is a key stakeholder in health and education systems as well as in democracy-building efforts. ” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1334″ width=”2000″ loading=’lazy’/>

meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Vatican in May 2023. It was the first face-to-face meeting between Zelensky and the Pope since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The Pope has been outspoken in his support for an end to the war.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1333″ width=”2000″ loading=’lazy’/>

He was on his way to a Rome hospital for abdominal surgery. The procedure was to repair a hernia that the Vatican said was causing “recurrent, painful and worsening” symptoms.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1333″ width=”2000″ loading=’lazy’/>

working session on artificial intelligence during the G7 summit near Bari, Italy, in June 2024. Francis, the first pope to participate in the summit, is determined to use the soft power of his office to try to ensure that the development of AI serves humanity and does not turn into a 21st-century Frankenstein’s monster.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1667″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

the pope told the comedians, adding that he has prayed for 40 years for a good sense of humor.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1667″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

leading a Holy Mass at the Esplanade of Tasi Tolu in Dili, East Timor, on September 10, 2024.
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the pope was admitted to a hospital in Rome. It was later announced that he was battling pneumonia in both of his lungs.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1333″ width=”2000″ loading=’lazy’/>

he was discharged from the Gemelli Hospital in Rome in March 2025. Though he looked frail and struggled to speak, he addressed the crowd outside the hospital, thanking them and acknowledging one woman in the crowd who was holding flowers. He also gave a blessing, though he appeared to have some difficulty raising his arms.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1242″ width=”2000″ loading=’lazy’/>

Pope Francis’ life in pictures

About 50,000 people came to Benedict’s funeral in 2023, while around 300,000 attended John Paul’s in 2005.

The Italian government has declared five days of national mourning ending on Saturday, the day of the funeral. A minute of silence will be held across the country on Saturday as the service begins.