Thousands of people began filing through St. Peter’s Basilica to pay their final respects to Pope Francis on Wednesday at the start of three days of public viewing ahead of his funeral.
Throngs of the faithful made their way to the 16th century basilica's main altar where Francis' open wooden casket was perched, as Swiss Guards stood at attention. Over the coming days, tens of thousands of people are expected to pass through, and the Vatican said it may keep the basilica open past midnight due to high turnout.
Francis was laid out in red robes, clasping a rosary and wearing a bishop’s miter, the traditional pointed headdress. Mourners waited hours to reach the casket, which sat behind a cordon. Some held their cell phones aloft as they neared to snap photos in what has become a modern ritual.
“It gave me chills,” said Ivenes Bianco, as she left. She was in Rome from the southern city of Brindisi for medical care, and came to pay her respects. "He was important to me because he encouraged co-existence. He brought many people together.''
Francis’ casket wasn’t put on an elevated bier — as was the case with past popes — but placed on a ramp, facing the pews. It was in keeping with his wishes for the rituals surrounding a papal funeral to be simplified to reflect his belief that the pope’s role is that of simple pastor, not world leader.
Cardinals, meanwhile, met in private to finalize preparations for Saturday's funeral and plan the conclave to elect Francis' successor.
Francis died on Monday at age 88, capping a 12-year pontificate characterized by his concern for the poor and message of inclusion, but also some criticism from conservatives who sometimes felt alienated by his progressive bent.
Francis first lay in state in the hotel where he lived, in a private viewing for Vatican residents and the papal household. Images released by the Vatican on Tuesday showed the pope in an open casket, his hands folded over a rosary.
Wednesday opened with the bells of St. Peter’s tolling as pallbearers carried Francis' body into the basilica, in a procession through the piazza where he had delivered his final goodbye. Francis had made a surprise popemobile tour through the faithful on Easter Sunday, after his nurse assured him he could despite his frail health from a bout of pneumonia and long hospitalization.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is running the Vatican until a new pope is elected, led the procession to the altar, with clouds of incense and the choir chanting the Litany of Saints hymn. In pairs, cardinals approached the casket, bowed and made a sign of the cross, followed by bishops, ushers, priests and nuns.
Then the doors were opened to the public. There was the squeak of sneakers, the rustling of kneeling nuns, the murmur of quiet prayers. A cough, a child's cry.
“We knew there were many people, so we approached this with calmness,” said Rosa Morghen from Naples, adding: "It’s the feeling one experiences when a family member passes away, as he is a father, a grandfather who has gone.”
The public viewing ends Friday at 7 p.m. Then Francis' casket will be closed and sealed.
The funeral has been set for Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square. It will be attended by leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy.
Francis' death and funeral inaugurate a carefully orchestrated period of transition in the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church, with cardinals gathering over the coming days before entering a conclave, the secretive ritual voting in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope.
There are 133 cardinals under age 80 and eligible to vote, after two bowed out for health reasons, and the new pontiff will likely come from within their ranks. The conclave is not expected to begin before May 5.
South Korean Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, who heads the Vatican's office for priests, predicted a short conclave but acknowledged the transition is full of uncertainties.
“We'll see what the Holy Spirit says,” he said Wednesday. Asked if the next pope could come from Asia, where the Catholic Church is growing, he insisted: “For the Lord, there's no East or West.”
Papua New Guinea’s first and only cardinal, John Ribat, prepared Wednesday to leave for Rome to participate in the vote, pleased to represent the South Pacific island nation of 12 million people and more than 800 languages in a College of Cardinals that Francis greatly diversified.
“To have a representative from here to be in the conclave, it is a big thing,” Ribart told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. He said he hoped the next pope would be someone who could lead the church in “a way that is truthful and binds everyone together.”
Italian police have tightened security for the events, carrying out foot and horse patrols around the Vatican, where pilgrims continued to arrive for the Holy Year celebrations that Francis opened in December.
“The death of a pope is not a small thing, because we’ve lost our leader,’’ said Julio Henrique from Brazil. “But still, in a few days, we will have a new leader. So … the thing of hope remains. Who will assume Peter’s throne?”
Associated Press reporters Silvia Stellacci and Trisha Thomas contributed to this report.
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
27 Comments
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wallace
This pope supported the BLM. Outspoken about US immigration. Called the Mexican wall un-Christian.
bass4funk
I pray and hope the new Pope will stay completely out of politics next time.
itsonlyrocknroll
I have mourned at two open casket funerals.
"viewings" of the deceased's body for attendees to pay last respects.
Must say, leaves a lasting impression.
itsonlyrocknroll
Agree bass4funk.
Wasabi
He is a state leader, so no! But we all would like your leader to stay away from religion.
Bob Fosse
Do you think religion should stay out of politics? Or only when they say something you don’t like?
Its the latter, right?
bass4funk
I think the Pope should stay out of politics
bass4funk
Well, if the Pope stays in his lane as a religious leader because that’s all his is, then there is no need for our leader to say anything or any other leader for that matter
wallace
bass4funk
This pope supported the BLM. Outspoken about US immigration. Called the Mexican wall un-Christian.
Do you also pray that Trump will stay completely out of religion?
bass4funk
He can do whatever he wants as head of state and as president and head of the executive who influence and shapes as well as changes politics. If the Pope wants to be a politician then he should run for office.
Yrral
A funeral is not for the dead,but for the living,all people that mourn Francis passing, should take up his mantle and go out into the world and continue to spread his messages of Mercy and Charity
Bob Fosse
What a cop out answer
I'veSeenFootage
What a very very silly thing to say. The Pope is the head of state of Vatican City. It's by definition a political position as much as a religious one. If anything modern popes are infinitely less political and powerful than they historically used to be. Thinking the pope should "stay out of politics" just because you don't like what he's saying is very childish.
wallace
bass4funk
Do you also pray that Trump will stay completely out of religion?
The pope is also the head of state of the independent State of the Vatican.
Yrral
Conclave to start after the Cinco de Mayo,on May 6,I.did not see the movie,but I imagine Hollywood took it liberties,about a bunch of backstabbing cardinal jocking for power, conclave are secret , nobody but cardinal are privy to it going on
Yrral
The next pope probably will be a Jesuit, Francis appointment of the majority of cardinal,the two other orders of Catholic are ,Franciscan and Dominican
Cephus
bass4funk,
"I pray and hope the new Pope will stay completely out of politics next time."
That is a good idea, the Papacy office should serve everyone regardless of their political affiliation. There was at time I had to ask who was the Pope, Joe or Francis? Because they took same paths in every world view.
itsonlyrocknroll
I would like to make the pilgrimage, to witness first hand, in person, a papal conclave gathering of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a bishop of Rome.
To stand, to greet amongst faithful throngs in St. Peter's Square, a once in a lifetime occasion.
The "Catholic Church of Christ" lacking judgement unwisely stumbled into the cesspool world of politics.
Lost its way.
wallace
The pope only serves the Catholic Nation.
Cephus
"The "Catholic Church of Christ" lacking judgement unwisely stumbled into the cesspool world of politics.
Lost its way."
Who said the church lost its way? It's people who lose their way(s) because the fundamentals of the Church of Jesus Christ are still strong and even getting stronger as we head towards the finish line.
itsonlyrocknroll
My humble opinion, Cephus, nothing more.
I am not doubting your faith, or your wise words of support for the Catholic Church.
Cephus
"I am not doubting your faith, or your wise words of support for the Catholic Church."
The Church is you and me and everyone else striving to do the right things life which ultimately ends in walking in the narrow path of righteousness. Don't ever lose hope because itsonlyrocknroll till eternity.
Yrral
When have the Catholic not been in politics, even it has internal struggles with different religious order for control over the faithful
Yrral
If people want to continue Francis legacy of Mercy and Charity why do.not give to. his earthly Charity,the pope Charity has an account in the Vatican Bank
itsonlyrocknroll
The toxic world of political intrigue holds little restitution for worship, to demonstrate devotion, respect, homage to any chosen deity.
Thank you for your thoughts words Cephus.
starpunk
He is a survivor of the fascist regime of his native Argentina. He has witnessed, been through, seen it all. He also is a moral leader and an example, as religious leaders ought to be.
Abp. Desmond Tutu, Dr. MLK, Pope Francis, Dalai Lama, others. True religious leaders like these individuals are what we need, now more than ever.
And when things go wrong in the world (even in religion), they should not be silent or complacent.
Pope JP2 resisted Polish Communism, MLK and Malcolm X Shabazz resisted racism + 'Jim Crow', Dalai Lama resists the CCP occupation of Tibet, Tutu resisted apartheid, Pope Francis resisted fascism.
That is the purpose of religion. Call it 'politics' but good is good and bad is bad.
Cephus
"He also is a moral leader and an example, as religious leaders ought to be."
Well a moral leader is supposed to be objective on all issues not following the political wind or the popular culture of the day.