Thousands Pay Final Respects to Pope Francis as Vatican Considers Extending Viewing Hours

Vatican City: In a moving display of global grief and unity, thousands of mourners from around the world made their way into St. Peter's Basilica to pay their final respects to Pope Francis. The late pontiff, remembered for his message of inclusion and compassion, lay in state in an open casket as a steady stream of visitors shuffled up the central aisle in solemn tribute.
The public viewing began Wednesday and was set to resume Thursday, with turnout so overwhelming that Vatican officials are now considering extending the viewing hours. Nearly 20,000 people paid their respects in just the first 8½ hours.
Among the early visitors was a group of 14-year-olds from near Milan who had originally come to attend the now-postponed canonisation of the first millennial saint. Others included a woman who had once prayed to the pope for a successful surgery, and an Italian mother, Rosa Scorpati, who brought her three young children in strollers.
“We came because we didn’t bring them when he was alive, so we thought we would bring them for a final farewell,” said Scorpati, who had traveled from Calabria. “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 family was in Rome for Easter holidays when they learned of Pope Francis’ death on Easter Monday.
Driven by devotion and drawn by the pope’s legacy of inclusion, mourners slowly progressed from St. Peter’s Square through the basilica’s Holy Door—an entrance that offers a special indulgence during the Jubilee Holy Year. The queue stretched through the nave toward the pope’s simple wooden casket.
By late Wednesday, wait times ranged from three to five hours. The crowd spilled down the Via della Conciliazione, in a lane specially reserved for Jubilee pilgrims.
Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88, led the Catholic Church for 12 years. His papacy was defined by outreach to the poor, support for marginalised communities, and a more inclusive stance on controversial issues—moves that earned praise from many but criticism from some conservative circles.
On Wednesday, his body was moved from a private Vatican viewing to the basilica with solemn pageantry led by priests, bishops, and cardinals. In contrast, the mood among the faithful was one of quiet gratitude, reflection, and reverence.
Four Swiss Guards stood vigil as the pope lay in state. Many mourners took photos, while others were overcome with emotion. A nun, walking alongside an elderly woman, sobbed, “My pope is gone.”
Still, grief was often tempered by gratitude. “I am very devoted to the pope,” said Ivenes Bianco from Brindisi, who had come to Rome for surgery. “He was important to me because he brought many people together by encouraging coexistence.” She cited his acceptance of the gay community and commitment to the poor as deeply meaningful.
Humbeline Coroy from Perpignan, France, had originally travelled for the canonisation of 15-year-old Carlo Acutis. After it was suspended due to the pope’s death, she stayed to honour Francis. While waiting, she bonded with Japanese pilgrims under the sun in St. Peter’s Square.
“For me, it is a lot of things,” said Coroy. “In my job, I work with disabled children, and I travelled to Madagascar to work with the poor. Being here, close to the pope, integrates these experiences and makes them real.” She also brought prayers for her father, who is battling cancer.
For some, the pope’s death reawakened personal memories. Alessandra Nardi remembered her uncle Luigi, who would call her from the square when Pope Francis said Mass. “He let me hear the bells toll. It was a beautiful thing.”
Riccardo Ojedea from Colombia said that waiting in line for two hours showed him just how much “humanity loves the pope.”
“He left a very important legacy for everyone,” Ojedea said, “to make this world happier.”
Following three days of public viewing, a funeral Mass attended by heads of state will take place Saturday in St. Peter’s Square. Pope Francis will then be laid to rest in a niche within the Basilica of St. Mary Major, near the icon of the Madonna he cherished.