(VOVWORLD) - 20,000 mourners from around the globe made a slow procession up the main aisle of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, on Wednesday, to pay their last respects to Pope Francis.
 People gather in front of San Pietro square to pay tribute to Pope Francis. (Photo: Thanh Hai/VNA correspondent in Italy) |
His body is lying in state at St. Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful can pay their final respects until Friday. Pope Francis, the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, had requested simple funeral rites. But this procession was held with great solemnity.
The funeral mass will take place on Saturday morning in St. Peter’s Square to be attended by world leaders and royals, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, US President Donald Trump, and Prince William of the United Kingdom.
Pope Francis will be laid to rest at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. As funeral preparations were underway, on Wednesday evening, 103 cardinals convened a meeting and agreed to hold nine consecutive days of mourning which will begin following his funeral on Saturday. As a result, the papal conclave, a secretive process to elect the next pope, will not begin before May 5.
Italy is tightening security during the Pope’s funeral. Barriers have been erected inside and outside St. Peter’s Basilica. Advanced defense and surveillance systems, including fighter jets and sophisticated signal-jamming technologies, have been deployed throughout Rome.