Over 100,000 faithful gathered at St. Peter’s Square to pay respects to Pope Francis
The death of Pope Francis, who left a legacy of reform in the Catholic Church, caused worldwide shock and repercussions of all kinds. Thousands of faithful bid farewell to the Supreme Pontiff in St. Peter's Basilica before the funeral planned for Saturday morning in the presence of world leaders.
One of the notable milestones for Pope Francis is that his death, which occurred on Monday, April 21, 2025, caused shock and sadness around the world, even among those who do not profess the Catholic faith. Perhaps that's why more than 100,000 people have paid their respects so far at his public wake in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.
The trickle of faithful has continued steadily throughout the day, after the wake remained open last night despite initial plans to close at midnight so that anyone who wished could stop by to say their goodbyes.
Italian Civil Protection expects this number to continue to increase significantly in the coming hours until the doors of St. Peter's are closed for the closing ceremony of the coffin, ahead of the funeral and burial scheduled for Saturday morning.
Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri had previously told reporters that he expected the funeral chapel to attract 100,000 visitors.
"Attendance at the wake is very constant (...). We will soon surpass 100,000 people," Gualteri declared at the end of the meeting of the provincial committee for order and security of the prefecture.
The mayor highlighted the smooth operation of municipal services, which is allowing "everyone to have the opportunity to pay tribute to an extraordinary Pope like Francis."
Italian authorities estimate that around 200,000 faithful will attend the pontiff's funeral on Saturday, after which the coffin will be carried in a funeral procession to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where Francis had stipulated he would be buried.
Meanwhile, the Vatican on Thursday unveiled the tomb of Pope Francis, who will be buried next Saturday in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, in accordance with his wishes expressed in his 2022 will. The images were shared on social media, where the tomb, made of Ligurian marble, can be seen with the inscription "Franciscus" and a reproduction of his pectoral cross, as ordered by the pontiff.