Home Pope Francis tributes live: Watch as thousands continue to queue to see Pope lying in state

Pope Francis tributes live: Watch as thousands continue to queue to see Pope lying in state

  2. The Vatican has released the order of service ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis in St Peter’s Square.
  3. The booklet, published on the Vatican’s website, is 87 pages long and contains the service in English, Italian and Latin.
  4. There are also sections in several other languages including French and Portuguese.
  5. The service will begin at 10:00 local time (09:00 BST) tomorrow.
  6. Click here for the full English version of the order of service published earlier today.
  9. Maryam Moshiri
  10. Chief Presenter, reporting from the Vatican.
  12. Hundreds of thousands of people have flocked to Rome ahead of the funeral tomorrow.
  13. Bishop Anthony Randazzo is the Bishop of Broken Bay, Sydney in Australia. He has flown here for the occasion and spoke to me about the pope.
  14. “I first met the Pope when he was still Cardinal Bergoglio and he used to stay in the clerical house in Rome where I used to live and work and I found him at that time to be a warm human being,” he says.
  15. “He was somebody who never thought twice about sitting down and having a meal with you, catching up in the lift and along the way… which wasn’t always the case with all the Cardinals. He was very personable, very human and very warm.
  16. “Recently, last year on his visit to Papa New Guinea, he spotted me in the crowd in Port Moresby with thousands of people and when it came time to say hello he wouldn’t let me go,” he continues.
  17. “He just kept talking about issues that were real, asking about the wellbeing of people he knew I had contact with. I think he was quite an extraordinary human being.”
  20. Maryam Moshiri
  21. Chief Presenter, reporting from the Vatican
  22. In the last few minutes all mobile phones, including mine, in the vicinity of the Vatican received an emergency message from authorities.
  23. In this message we have been warned that access to St Peter’s Square will be shut from 17:00 local time (16:00BST) today.
  24. As a reminder, the pope is lying in state until the funeral on Saturday morning, but public access the queue to see him will end this evening at 18:00 local time.
  28. Sarah Rainsford
  29. Reporting from St Peter’s Square
  31. There are lots of extra security measures in place in and around the Vatican ahead of Saturday’s funeral, when dozens of heads of state will be in town.
  32. We’ve seen mounted police and sniffer dogs, a few heavily armed soldiers as well as members of the air force with giant hand-held jammer guns for protection against drones.
  33. The atmosphere is relaxed, though, with lots of people posing for photos with the police or asking directions on their way to St Peter’s Basilica to file past the coffin of the Pope.
  34. The politicians and royalty will start arriving here this evening. Some of them, like Argentine president Javier Milei, clashed publicly with the Pope during his life but are now coming to pay their respects at his funeral.
  35. Meanwhile, the Vatican says many of the cardinals who will be eligible to vote for a new Pope are not yet in Italy.
  36. They will travel from all over the world to take part in the secretive election process, expected to begin about 10 days or so after the funeral.
  40. Sarah Rainsford
  41. Reporting frim St Peter’s Square
  42. The Vatican has said that access to the queue to see the Pope in St Peter’s Basilica will close at around 18:00 (17:00 BST) this evening, in order for all those in the line to get a chance to reach the church and file past the coffin.
  43. They expect that process to be over by 19:00, when the doors of the basilica will be closed and the final preparations will be made ahead of the funeral on Saturday morning.
  46. Maryam Moshiri
  47. Chief Presenter, reporting from the Vatican
  48. From where we are on a rooftop nearby you can clearly see the sheer size of the queue this morning.
  49. Many more than yesterday, with the number of mourners expected to increase markedly over the coming hours.
  50. Inside the piazza the preparations are well underway for the ceremony tomorrow.
  51. Hundreds of chairs have been lined up already in neat rows – and organisers have placed red benches near the marble staircase and platform just outside the doors to the Basilica.
  52. It’s thought around 130 delegations from around the world will be in attendance, the last figure given by the Vatican was 50 heads of state and 10 reigning monarchs.
  53. This funeral will be a huge global event watched and followed by millions of people around the world.
  57. Pope Francis’s funeral will begin at 10:00 local time (0800 GMT, 09:00 BST) tomorrow in Rome, which will be a simpler affair than for many of his predecessors.
  58. It will be attended by many foreign dignitaries, including:
  • UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
  • Prince William
  • US President Donald Trump
  • Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
  • Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr
  • Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky
  1. If you’d like to watch the funeral tomorrow morning, our coverage will begin at 09:30 local time (07:30 GMT, 08:30 BST), presented by Reeta Chakrabarti live from St Peter’s Square in the Vatican.
  2. It will be broadcast here on the BBC News website and app as part of our live coverage, or you will be able to watch it on BBC1 and iPlayer.
  3. We’ve put together this explainer laying out what will happen at the funeral here, for those interested in finding out in advance.
  6. This is the final day for mourners to pay their respects to Pope Francis, before his funeral is held tomorrow morning.
  7. St Peter’s Basilica will remain open until 18:00 local time (17:00BST) for those still hoping to file through to view his body lying in state and pay homage to him.
  8. Following his funeral, at 10:00 local time tomorrow, Francis will become the first Pope in more than a century not to be buried in the crypt at St Peter’s – he will instead be laid to rest at the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome.
  11. Sarah Rainsford
  12. Reporting from the Vatican
  13. There’s a big crowd now on the main road leading up to the basilica where a group of teenage girls has been singing the Ave Maria as they wait.
  14. When police finally pulled back the metal barrier to let the first part of the crowd through there was a sudden surge forward – and loud applause.
  15. Everyone is anxious to make it to the front of the queue in time, as today is their last chance to pay their respects before the Pope’s coffin is closed ahead of the funeral tomorrow morning.
  18. Mourners are continuing to file past the open coffin of Pope Francis. You can watch live coverage by pressing the button above. Below are some more details.
  19. When is the funeral?
  20. On Saturday in front of St Peter’s Basilica.
  21. The Pope will lie in state inside the church until his burial at St Mary Major in Rome, also on Saturday.
  22. How is a new Pope chosen?
  23. Once Pope Francis is buried, the dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, has up to 20 days to summon the cardinals to the Vatican to begin the process of electing the next Pope, known as a conclave.
  24. The below graphic goes through the key steps in the process.
  25. Who can become Pope?
  26. Roman Catholic men who have been baptised can be considered for election to become Pope.
  27. In theory, this could be any baptised man, but in practice, cardinals prefer to select one of their own.
  31. Matt Spivey
  32. Live editor
  33. Image source, Reuters
  34. Mourners continue to pay their respects to Pope Francis into the night, as he lies in state at St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.
  35. Earlier today the queue stretched out of St Peter’s Square, as 90,000 people filed past the Pontiff’s coffin in just one day.
  36. We’ve been hearing from some of those in the queue – Sister Patricia Murray who remembers the late Pope’s “warmth and humanity”, and Brenda Cleary from County Antrim, Northern Ireland, who called him an “amazing, amazing man”.
  37. The funeral will take place at 10:00 local time (09:00 BST) on Saturday, but the Basilica will remain open on Friday from 07:00 to 19:00 local time for those still hoping to pay homage to Pope Francis.
  38. We’re pausing our live coverage now and will return on Friday morning. For more on this story:
  41. Maryam Moshiri
  42. Chief Presenter, reporting from the Vatican
  43. The queues to see the Pope lying in state have become much shorter this evening.
  44. Current queuing time is under an hour. It’s estimated over 90,000 people have already filed past the Pontiff’s body today alone.
  45. He will continue to lie in state until Friday evening at 7pm, after which his coffin will be closed and final preparations will be made for his funeral on Saturday morning.
  46. As a reminder, you can see mourners pay their respects by pressing watch live above.
  50. Maryam Moshiri
  51. Chief presenter, reporting from the Vatican
  53. As the sun sets on another day at the Vatican, I spoke to Filipino nun Sister Marcedita Placio Saboga-a from a congregation in Taiwan.
  54. She became very emotional as she described seeing the Pope lying in state in St Peter’s Basilica.
  55. “When I saw him in that wooden casket… I just said to the Lord, ‘Thank you for this man, a very humble Pope,'” Sister Marcedita says, through tears.
  56. “He’s a good model for us, the servants of God, he’s our spiritual leader and he showed us how you’re supposed to treat Christians.”
  57. Looking to the future, she says that she prays there will be a representative from Asia, but accepts that “only God knows” who the next Pope will be.
  60. Mark Lowen
  61. Reporting from Rome
  62. Image source, Getty Images
  63. I’ve been speaking to three women in New York who each were dealing with extremely difficult life circumstances – illness, bereavement or health conditions – when they met Pope Francis. They say it changed their lives forever.
  64. Julia Bruzzese:
  65. “I was 12 years old and I had just been recently diagnosed with Lyme’s disease. I went from being a sporty kid to being paralysed in a wheelchair in a matter of months. One day out of the blue, the principal at my school reached out to my father and offered tickets to go meet the Pope.
  66. “When he got off the plane, he came right over to me and he blessed me. We went from being really very alone to people seeing me on the news and reaching out to offer advice – doctors offering treatments and people with Lyme’s disease reaching out to share their stories. I was able to get treatment. And it led me to advocacy for Lyme’s disease because I realised a lot of people don’t have a voice. So the Pope changed my life and it’s a day I’ll never forget.”
  67. Stephanie Gabaud:
  68. “I was diagnosed with Spina bifida from birth, unable to walk. So I’ve been in a wheelchair all my life. I wasn’t even supposed to survive. I met the Pope at St Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.
  69. “He gave me the sign of the cross on my forehead. And he whispered to me – he told me he wanted to pray for me. I felt a sense of relief. Today I am thriving: travelling, raising awareness about children with disabilities like mine. I’m doing great and I thank Pope Francis for what he has done for me. He changed my life for the better.”
  70. Monica Iken-Murphy:
  71. “I lost my soul mate in 9/11. We had only been married 11 months and I watched as the plane went into the tower he was in. In a minute, my life changed. But God spoke to me and said I had a mission to help get the 9/11 memorial built. And in 2015, I was honoured as a board member of the 9/11 memorial museum. I was then asked to bring my two girls to meet the Pope at a memorial ceremony.
  72. “We were so excited… and meeting him changed me. I felt like a new human. The power of his presence, and him saying that the 9/11 memorial space is hallowed space – it really meant everything.”
  75. Ione Wells
  76. Reporting from Buenos Aires
  78. We’ve reported a lot on how Pope Francis left a legacy of helping the poorest in society.
  79. I spoke to Sergio Sanchez who runs a soup kitchen in the Pope’s home city of Buenos Aires, who knew the Pope personally when he was archbishop of the city.
  80. “To my surprise, he sent an invitation to his inauguration to us as a family, to be by his side. It was very exciting. I saw the Kings, the presidents, I was right there. I travelled to Rome several times,” he says.
  81. He recalls one message of the Pope to “make a mess, the right way”.
  82. “It remained a slogan that some criticised. But the pope said people shouldn’t stay silent, they should fight for their rights, which is what we fought for. He always said to help others, which is what I did through this huge soup kitchen I made.”
  83. He remembers the Pope washing the feet of prisoners in the city which he described as “life-changing”.
  84. “It gives people dignity and tells them: ‘Hey, you have to change.’”
  85. Sergio hopes that the Pope’s legacy will continue and that people do not forget “there are still thousands of poor people in the world”.
  89. Maryam Moshiri
  90. Chief Presenter, reporting from the Vatican
  92. There are so many people here in the square – from all over the world and from all walks of life.
  93. We spoke to Father Mark Cassidy, rector of the Pontifical Scots College in Rome – a training ground for future Scottish priests.
  94. Father Mark met the pope privately in the hope of getting some help with moving the college closer to the Vatican – and reflected on how that meeting went.
  95. “We were just the three of us sitting round his desk, a very relaxed encounter and you really saw what the man cared about, he cared about the people who came to him looking for help and for support,” he tells us.
  96. “But also, remarkably he’s a great man for remembering.
  97. “Two months later at a general audience with a group of priests, he looked at me and said ‘Ah you! How is your move at the college going?’ And I think that was the mark of the man.”
  100. Pope Francis’s funeral will take place at 10:00 local time (09:00 BST) on Saturday.
  101. However, he will be the first Pope in more than a century not to be buried in the crypt at the Basilica – he will instead be laid to rest at the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome.
  102. It was a wish he expressed in his final testament – writing: “The tomb should be in the ground; simple, without particular ornamentation, bearing only the inscription: Franciscus.”
  103. The below image shows the boundaries of the Vatican City.
  107. Sister Patricia Murray is the executive secretary of the International Union of Superiors General, the main umbrella group of women’s religious orders.
  108. She knew Pope Francis well and met him many times.
  109. “I’m sad, obviously it’s like when you lose a good friend, you regret their passing, there’s something missing from your own life but also it’s a time to reflect and look back and just give thanks for so many things,” Sister Patricia says.
  110. “For me, it was just the warmth and humanity of the man, you met a friend, he took you by the hand, he looked into your eyes, you were a special person for him.”
  111. She adds that Pope Francis “paved the way” for the role of women in the Catholic Church.
  116. Brenda Cleary from Whiteabbey in County Antrim was already due to be in Rome for the canonisation of Carlo Acutis, which has now been paused until there is a new Pope.
  117. “It’s a sad occasion but at the same time it’s lovely to be here,” she tells BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster programme.
  118. “I was privileged in meeting Pope Francis and I had someone who translated, and I found in his company – very relaxed, he made you feel so at home, an amazing, amazing man.”
  119. Brenda plans to view the late Pope’s coffin on Thursday, travel to Assisi about 80 miles outside of Rome to view the remains of Carlo Acutis, then back to Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday.
  120. “I know it will be a long day but worth every penny because I love Pope Francis,” she says.
  121. “Let’s hope and pray that the next pope we have will have that quality that Pope Francis had.”
  124. As thousands of people continue to file through the iconic St Peter’s Basilica, where the late Pope Francis is lying in state, we’ve created some graphics to give you a sense of what they’re seeing once inside.
  126. Mourners are being directed down the Nave, with a view of St Peter’s Baldachin – a 17th Century Baroque canopy sculpted out of bronze.
  127. The high altar is also visible, where the relic known as the Chair of St Peter is housed, a wooden throne which Catholic tradition says belonged to the first Pope and leader of early Christians in Rome.
  129. Pope Francis’s body has been laid in an open coffin in front of the Papal Altar, stood over by four Swiss Guards – the traditional guard of honour of the papacy.
  130. Overlooking the coffin is the statue of Saint Longinus, a 4-metre (13ft) tall marble 17th Century piece by the iconic Italian sculptor Bernini, holding a spear in his right hand.
  131. Longinus is the name of the Roman soldier who is said to have pierced the side of Jesus with a lance while he was on the cross.

Page 2

  2. Sarah Rainsford
  3. Reporting from St Peter’s Square
  4. The queue to see the Pope now stretches out of St Peter’s square and down the street, the first time that’s happened since Francis’s body was moved to lie in state.
  5. So far, the Vatican says more than 50,000 people have paid their respects. They left the Basilica open through much of the night because so many were still queueing.
  6. Some had come after work. Others had been hoping for a shorter line in the evening.
  7. “I think the Pope was an amazing man, so I wanted to see him,” 13-year-old Edoardo says, waiting after midnight with his parents. “I am really sorry. But I think maybe he will enjoy heaven.”
  8. This morning the crowd was so large some were turning away.
  9. “It looks like five or six hours, so we’ll come back later,” Catherine, a Catholic from Birmingham told us.
  10. “Francis was more outspoken about issues relevant to now: the poor, human rights. He was more relatable. A people person.”
  12. Image caption,
  13. Catherine (right) and her sister Sarah
  16. Olha Kalmykova
  17. BBC News Ukrainian, reporting from the Vatican
  19. Image caption,
  20. Anna says she hopes Francis’s successor will continue to support Ukraine
  21. While visiting St Peter’s Basilica, a group of Ukrainian tourists who are mourning the late Pope Francis spoke to me about their sadness at his death, praising him for consistently showing sympathy towards Ukrainian people.
  22. “Unfortunately, this news was very upsetting for us because it matters a lot,” says Maryna. “He always supported Ukraine and treated us – and our president – with respect. So, this news was not easy for us. We truly held him in high regard.”
  23. Ukraine’s President Zelensky, who met Pope Francis three times at the Vatican, is expected to return on Saturday to attend the funeral.
  24. Despite their sense of loss, the group also shares a hope that the next Pope will continue – and perhaps even deepen – the Vatican’s support for Ukraine and pursuit of peace.
  25. “Being here today is a great opportunity for us to say our final goodbye to the Pope,” says Anna. “And of course, we hope that the next Pope will also continue to support and help Ukraine in every possible way.”
  26. Larysa adds: “This is a great loss for the whole world. But at the same time, it gives us hope – that the new Pope will make even greater efforts to help Ukraine and the world, and to work for peace across the globe.”
  29. Jorge Perez
  30. BBC Mundo, reporting from Rome
  31. I’ve been speaking to two groups of Mexican tourists who have changed their travel plans to be in Rome and pay their respects to Pope Francis.
  32. Eva Asensio was on holiday in Florence when she heard the news on Easter Monday. She tells us she knew immediately that she had to come to the Vatican.
  33. “It’s a moment of recognition,” she says, with tears in her eyes. “It’s a horrible time, but we can’t stop the passage of time, nor the will of God.”
  34. “We saw him as a good Pope – someone who supported everyone, no matter your sexual orientation, no matter where you came from. He united us.”
  35. The Mexican visitors I met felt a particular bond with Francis, the first Latin American Pope.
  36. “He was from Argentina, I’m Mexican – but it didn’t matter. He was a unifier,” Eva says.
  37. “He treated everyone equally and promoted peace. We came here to say thank you for what he did for us – and to pray that the new Pope will be as right-minded in his ideas. We ask God to help us.”
  38. Meanwhile, Arcelia, another Mexican tourist, had been due to leave Rome today but is now looking into changing her flight so she can see the Pope’s coffin in St Peter’s Basilica.
  39. “It’s an honour to be here,” she says. “We had hoped to see the Pope while he was still alive – and now we will see him, but sadly in a different way. Still, it’s an honour. We want to stay.”
  42. Image source, Reuters
  43. As the sun rises over the Vatican this morning, the crowds are continuing to gather to pay their respects to Pope Francis.
  44. The late pontiff, who died on Monday, is currently lying in state in an open coffin in St Peter’s Basilica – he’ll remain there until his funeral on Saturday.
  45. The basilica’s doors stayed open all so that a large crowd gathered on the square had a chance to file past the coffin. At midnight, when the church was supposed to close for the night, there was still a very long queue of people wanting to pay their respects
  46. Pilgrims and tourists have continued to file in this morning.
  47. We’re restarting our live coverage now. We won’t be providing regular text updates, but you can watch the crowds inside St Peter’s Basilica by pressing watch live at the top of the page.
  50. Alex Smith
  51. Live editor
  52. Image source, EPA
  53. It was a solemn day in the Vatican.
  54. Pope Francis’s coffin was carried via procession from his residence at Casa Santa Marta to St Peter’s Basilica, where he will lie in state until his funeral on Saturday.
  55. As the sun beat down on St Peter’s Square, a packed crowd of thousands – from tourists to pilgrims – gathered to bear witness to today’s historic events.
  56. Many of these will likely have joined the queue to pay their respects to the Pope.
  57. Image source, EPA
  58. Image source, Reuters
  59. The late pontiff’s coffin is now resting inside St Peter’s Basilica – in front of the Papal Altar – and will remain there until his funeral.
  60. Long queues of people moved through the square outside, and through the halls of the basilica, waiting patiently to catch a glimpse of the Pope lying in state.
  61. Image source, Reuters
  62. Our reporter inside described how strikingly quiet it was, despite the numbers, with many lingering to admire the staggering beauty of the building.
  63. Now, as the clock approaches midnight in the Vatican – 23:00 here in London – the basilica is closing to the public for the night. Its doors will reopen at 07:00 local time (06:00 BST) tomorrow morning.
  64. We’re pausing our live coverage now and will return on Thursday morning.
  67. Laura Gozzi
  68. Reporting from St Peter’s Basilica
  69. This is the view from the media area inside St Peter’s Basilica (see below).
  70. Under the watchful marble eye of popes and saints, a steady stream of people walk up to the pope’s body in his simple casket, pay their respects – some kneel, others cross themselves – and slowly move on.
  71. Many linger to admire the staggering beauty of the basilica.
  72. What’s striking is how quiet it is in here given how many thousands of people there are. Occasionally, a baby cries. But by and large it’s all very quiet, and very solemn.
  • As a reminder, we are not posting regular text updates on this page – but you can watch the queues inside St Peter’s Basilica live at the top of the page
  4. Rosanna Pound-Woods
  5. Reporting from Vatican City
  6. Image source, Reuters
  7. As the sun beats down on St Peter’s Square, there’s a sea of umbrellas as pilgrims try to keep cool under the relentless sun.
  8. Crowds are streaming in on both sides of the square, in calm and orderly queues to see Pope Francis lying in state in the basilica.
  9. In the past few hours the whole area around the Vatican has begun to feel far busier, with increased security and checkpoints around the square and a heavy police presence.
  10. Among those we’ve spoken to are a mixture of tourists in Rome already, and pilgrims who have travelled here especially – Catholics from around the world including groups from the UK, the US and Zimbabwe.
  11. They’ve told us they feel it’s their duty to be here, and that it wasn’t difficult to find flights to travel over.
  12. There are priests and nuns and other people of all ages, including some with young children. At the edge of the square, the media circus continues to grow – every so often a cardinal will walk through, chased by a scrum of cameras and journalists looking for comment ahead of the conclave.
  13. From the rooftop of a nearby convent where we’re broadcasting from, we can see the queue snaking around the sides of the square.
  14. For those in it, there’s a palpable sense of unity as they wait to pay their respects to Pope Francis.
  • As a reminder, we are not posting regular text updates on this page – but you can watch the queues inside St Peter’s Basilica live at the top of the page
  1. Image source, Rosanna Pound-Woods / BBC
  2. Image caption,
  3. A rooftop view of the queues inside St Peter’s Square
  6. Image source, Reuters
  7. Pope Francis will now lie in state at St Peter’s Basilica where the public will be able to pay their respects to him over the coming days.
  8. This morning, we followed the procession of his coffin from Casa Santa Marta, where he died, to the Basilica. It was one of a number of rites that have been taking place since Francis’s death on Monday.
  9. Cardinals accompanied him on the journey as crowds from across the world gathered along the way – at points some could be heard clapping, others were seen in tears.
  10. A queue has now formed of those wanting to visit his coffin before his funeral on Saturday. Among those waiting are newlyweds Luis and Macarena who told the BBC they travelled to Rome hoping to receive Pope Francis’s blessing.
  11. “I think we received the blessing from above,” Luis said.
  12. We’ll soon be pausing our regular text updates but you can still watch mourners paying their final tributes to Pope Francis by clicking Watch Live at the top of the page.
  13. You can also keep up to date with the latest in our story.
  16. Laura Gozzi
  17. Reporting from Vatican City
  18. Image source, Laura Gozzi/BBC
  19. As we’ve been reporting, Rome and the Vatican have stepped up security measures to deal with the huge numbers of people expected this weekend – as well as dozens of heads of state and royals.
  20. Earlier I asked this soldier about the hefty contraption he was holding.
  21. He says it’s a “precaution against drones”, though he then adds: “As you can’t imagine I can’t tell you how it works.”
  22. It looks like a handheld drone hammer – a device which is able to disrupt drone radio frequencies and, in some cases, force drones to return to their home point.
  23. When I asked the soldier whether the device could do all that he neither agreed nor disagreed, but said mysteriously: “Maybe, among other things.”
  26. Image source, Reuters
  27. At least 250,000 people are expected to attend Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday.
  28. Tens of thousands have already descended on Vatican City over the last two days to pay their respects to the late pontiff.
  29. At least 100 delegates from around the world are also set to attend the ceremony and security is expected to tight.
  32. Sarah Rainsford
  33. Reporting from Vatican City
  34. Rome is always a place of pilgrimage for Catholics.
  35. This year is a Holy year, a Jubilee, which comes around every couple of decades, so there were already security measures in place to deal with large number of Catholics heading for the Vatican.
  36. Since the Pope’s death there’s been an increase in security and other measures put in place. This morning, police barricades are up and officers are conducting checks on those entering St Peter’s Square.
  37. But this is a city, and a church which is well used to dealing with such big ceremonial moments.
  38. It’s not just about these three days of the Pope lying in state, we are also building towards the funeral that begins on Saturday morning.
  39. That’s when not only Catholics and members of the public, but world leaders and royalty from many countries around the world will arrive.
  43. Among the large crowds hoping to enter St Peter’s Basilica today are newlyweds Luis and Macarena from Mexico.
  44. The couple says they had decided to come to Rome for their honeymoon and had hoped to see the Pope, who gives a special blessing to newlyweds. They learned about the Pope’s death while in transit.
  45. “It was emotional. We thought, I can’t believe we’re going to be in Rome when it’s happening,” Macarena says.
  46. Luis says the blessing from the Pope would have meant a lot to him and his wife, but adds: “It’s a very important couple of days just to be here and pray, and to feel everyone praying is more important. I think we received the blessing from above.”
  47. He says seeing his final resting place would allow them to feel a connection with the late Pope.
  48. “Pope Francis is a saint and he will bless us from heaven,” he says.
  51. Members of the public have been able to enter St Peter’s Basilica to pay their respects to Pope Francis for a little over an hour and a half now.
  52. As we’ve been reporting, people from across the globe have travelled to the Vatican City to do so.
  53. Here are some of the latest images from the queue that has formed which branches outside of the Vatican City itself and into Rome:
  54. Image source, Reuters
  55. Image source, Reuters
  56. Image source, Reuters
  59. Image source, Reuters
  60. The Vatican has shared some details of the ceremony on Friday during which Pope Francis’ coffin will be closed.
  61. As a reminder, the public will be able to visit Pope Francis as he lies in state until 19:00 local time Friday.
  62. At 20:00 the rite of the closing of the coffin will take place at St Peter’s Basilica led by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the “camerlengo” – the man who’ll be running the Vatican until a new Pope is elected.
  63. The dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, will also attend. He’ll be leading the funeral service on Saturday and then convene the conclave to select Francis’s successor.
  64. This is one of a number of rites which take place during this period.
  65. Earlier this week, we saw Cardinal Farrell locking and sealing the Pope’s home with a ribbon and wax.
  66. A ceremony is also held to destroy the Pope’s Ring of the Fisherman with a hammer – the ring is used by the Pope to sign and seal official documents.
  67. For more on Cardinal Kevin Farrell, our story has further details.
  70. Image source, EPA
  71. As we’ve been reporting, the general public is now able to visit St Peter’s Basilica to file past Pope Francis’s coffin and pay their respects.
  72. Tomorrow, members of the public will be able to see his body lying in state from 07:00 until midnight and from 07:00 to 19:00 on Friday.
  73. His funeral will be on Saturday at 10:00 in the square in front of St Peter’s Basilica.
  74. Patriarchs, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests from across the globe will take part. The dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, will lead the service.
  77. Image source, Reuters
  78. As many as 20,000 pilgrims gathered at St Peter’s Square today to witness the procession of Pope Francis’s body, according to reports by Vatican media.
  79. Many of those who witnessed the service in the square will likely also join the queue to see the Pope lying in state.
  80. The transfer of the Pope’s coffin to St Peter’s Basilica began at 09:00 local time (08:00 BST) on Wednesday, following a prayer ceremony in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, where the Pope lived.
  81. The procession was led by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo. He is the person who runs the Vatican after the death or resignation of a pope.
  85. Among those at St Peter’s Square planning to go inside the Basilica over the next couple of days to see the Pope lying in state is Margaux, who is from France and runs a restaurant near the square.
  86. She was moved by today’s procession and service.
  87. Margaux tells the BBC it’s all been a bit of a shock, but as a Catholic she is glad to be able to attend the events and plans to attend the funeral on Saturday.
  88. “I saw him a couple of times here, with a beautiful smile, message of love also. I really like him,” she adds.
  89. Pope Francis’s progressive views were “very important” to Margaux.
  90. “I hope the next pope will follow him along his path,” she adds, saying that she does worry about what will happen in the next week. “I hope it’s going to be just like him, following his ideas,” Margaux says.
  91. Living in Vatican City is “mystical” and “beautiful”, Margaux adds, as she walks among priests, nuns and tourists surrounded by the religious hub’s impressive architecture.
  94. Here’s a shot of the Pope’s coffin, situated inside the grand St Peter’s Basilica, in front of the Papal Altar – which is built over the tomb of the saint.
  95. It will remain there until the funeral on Saturday.
  96. Image source, Reuters
  99. Image source, Reuters
  100. Mourners have begun filing in to St Peter’s Basilica to pay their final respects to Pope Francis.
  101. As a reminder, the Basilica will stay open until 24:00 local time (23:00 BST) today.
  104. While the focus is on Vatican City, members of the public from all over the world are continuing to mourn Pope Francis.
  105. In the pictures below, we can see emotions running high at St Peter’s Square during this morning’s procession, as well as people paying their respects to the late pontiff in Jerusalem and Jakarta.
  106. Image source, Reuters
  107. Image caption,
  108. A woman reacts to this morning’s procession ceremony that saw the Pope carried into St Peter’s Basilica
  109. Image source, EPA
  110. Image caption,
  111. People light candles as they attend a special mass prayer at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem
  112. Image source, EPA
  113. Image caption,
  114. People queue to be allowed into the Vatican Embassy to offer their condolences for the Pope in Jakarta, Indonesia

Page 3

  2. Image source, Reuters
  3. As we’ve been reporting, the Pope’s body will now lie in state inside St Peter’s Basilica until his funeral on Saturday.
  4. In the next few minutes, the Basilica will reopen and the public will be able to file past the open coffin to pay their final respects.
  5. The Basilica will be open at the following times:
  • Wednesday 23 April – from 11:00 to 00:00 local time
  • Thursday 24 April – from 07:00 to 00:00 local time
  • Friday 25 April – from 07:00 to 19:00 local time
  3. Pope Francis’s coffin has made its way to St Peter’s Basilica, where a small service has just concluded.
  4. Hundreds gathered in St Peter’s Square to greet the coffin during the procession.
  5. In the clip below, you can see the moment the coffin arrives at the location where Francis will now lie in state until the funeral on Saturday:
  6. Media caption,
  7. Pope’s coffin arrives at St Peter’s Basilica
  10. Laura Gozzi
  11. Reporting from Vatican City
  12. Image source, Laura Gozzi/BBC
  13. Charmaine and Luigi are visiting Rome from South Africa. They got in on Monday, the day the Pope died, and found out the news from live TV whilst on the plane.
  14. The pair just witnessed the procession a few metres away from where I was standing.
  15. “It was beautiful – and amazing to be able to witness it,” Charmaine says, as her husband nods. “It was very moving.”
  16. Will they go see the Pope’s body once the lying in state begins?
  17. “No. Let him rest in peace,” Luigi says. “It’s for the people of Italy to go see him,” Charmaine adds.
  18. They both say the wealth of languages spoken in the square today was something to behold. “It’s the whole world united here today, it’s unusual and beautiful,” Charmaine says.
  21. Members of the Swiss Guard are standing next to the coffin of the late Pope, as hymns are being sung by a choir at St Peter’s Basilica.
  22. Cardinals and other members of the clergy attending the service are now paying their tributes to the late pontiff before the Basilica is opened to the public.
  23. Image source, Reuters
  24. Image source, Reuters
  25. Image source, Getty Images
  26. Image caption,
  27. Cardinals and other members of the clergy are now paying their tributes
  30. From today until his funeral on 26 April, the Pope will lie in state inside the iconic St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican for a period of public mourning.
  31. Take a look at our graphic below to get a sense of the space in which mourners will be invited to pay their respects:
  35. The Pope’s coffin is now inside St Peter’s Basilica and there it will remain lying in state until the funeral on 26 April.
  36. The procession lasted a little under 40 minutes, and saw the body being moved from Casa Santa Marta, where Francis died on Monday, through St Peter’s Square and the crowds of worshippers waiting to pay their final respects.
  37. Image source, Reuters
  38. Image source, Reuters
  39. Image source, Reuters
  40. Image source, Getty Images
  43. Laura Gozzi
  44. Reporting from Vatican City
  45. Image source, Reuters
  46. In the last half hour the square has filled up a lot – hundreds of people have come in and are watching the images from inside the Basilica on the giant screen outside.
  47. Many will undoubtedly now flock inside St Peter’s Square to see the Pope’s body from much closer.
  48. Our previous post had details on when the Basilica will be open for the public to pay respects.
  51. Image source, Reuters
  52. Pope Francis’s body is now inside St Peter’s Basilica, where he will be lying in state until his funeral on Saturday.
  53. Austen Ivereigh, Pope Francis’s biographer, tells BBC News that coins minted during his pontificate – one for each year of his tenure – will have been placed in a bag in the coffin.
  54. The bodies of popes used to be embalmed in the past, but that’s not mandatory nowadays, Ivereigh explains.
  55. The biographer says something will have been done to the Pope’s body to help delay the process of decomposition, but other than that “he is as he died”.
  56. Yesterday, the Vatican released several photographs of the Pope lying in an open coffin in his former residence, the BBC looked at the symbolism on show in the images.
  59. Image source, Reuters
  60. The body of Pope Francis has now entered St Peter’s Basilica after being carried across St Peter’s Square.
  61. There will be a prayer service before the public is allowed to enter to pay their final respects to the late pontiff.
  64. As the procession reaches its final stages, we’re getting pictures of some elderly cardinals already inside St Peter’s Basilica waiting for Pope Francis’s coffin to be placed inside.
  65. Image source, Reuters
  66. Image caption,
  67. Cardinal Walter Brandmuller inside St Peter’s Basilica as the Pope’s body is being transported to the site
  68. Image source, Reuters
  69. Image caption,
  70. Cardinal Camillo Ruini arrives at St Peter’s Basilica
  73. Image source, Reuters
  74. The procession from Pope Francis’s residence at Casa Santa Marta is approaching its close as the late pontiff’s body has arrived at St Peter’s Square.
  75. As the coffin passed, worshippers waiting to pay their final respects applauded. Our correspondent Laura Gozzi, who’s in the square, tells us St Peter’s bells are still ringing.
  76. The body will now be taken inside St Peter’s Basilica and a service will be held before the public is allowed to enter to say a final goodbye.
  79. Laura Gozzi
  80. Reporting from Vatican City
  81. A steady stream of white-clad priests at the end of this roped area signals that the Pope’s coffin is being transported across the square now, to the Basilica.
  82. Vatican guards are standing at attention.
  83. Pope Francis’s coffin is being shown on the giant screens set up around the square.
  84. Cardinals are also streaming in, all dressed in red.
  85. Image source, Laura Gozzi/ BBC
  86. Image source, Laura Gozzi/ BBC
  87. Image source, Laura Gozzi/ BBC
  90. Laura Gozzi
  91. Reporting from Vatican City
  92. Image source, Laura Gozzi/ BBC
  93. I’m on a sunlit St Peter’s Square, where the church bells are ringing solemnly as a giant screen shows the Pope’s coffin being transported from Casa Santa Marta, where he died, to the the Basilica where people will be able to come pay their respects over the next few days.
  94. Hymns are being played out on giant speakers, adding to the atmosphere of this centuries-old square which today more than any other day feels like the centre of the Catholic world.
  97. Image source, Reuters
  98. After that blessing and prayer, the procession begins towards Saint Peter’s Basilica.
  99. It is being led by Camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who Pope Francis nominated for the role in 2019.
  100. As camerlengo, Cardinal Farrell will be tasked with making arrangements for the conclave, the process through which the next pontiff is selected.
  103. Swiss Guards, whose role is to protect the Pope, have marched into St Peter’s Square and are lined up at its centre in preparation for the arrival of Francis’s coffin.
  104. Image source, Reuters
  105. Image source, Reuters
  109. The ceremony which will see a procession transporting Pope Francis’s body from Casa Santa Marta to St Peter’s Basilica has begun.
  110. As a reminder, the procession will pass through the Piazza Santa Marta and Piazza dei Protomartiri – with the Basilica open for the public to pay respects from 11:00 local time.
  111. Crowds have been waiting since the early hours of the morning.
  112. You can follow along by clicking Watch live at the top of the page.
  115. Reda El-Mawy
  116. BBC World Service, reporting from the Vatican
  117. Image source, Reda El-Mawy/ BBC
  118. I’m standing with a group of journalists on a platform just to the side of St Peter’s Basilica, where the coffin of Pope Francis will shortly arrive.
  119. From our elevated position, we have a clear view of the balcony where, just three days ago, the late Pope made his final public appearance, offering Easter greetings to the crowd below.
  120. This morning, in a relatively modest open coffin, Francis will be brought back to one of the holiest sites in Catholicism for the last time.
  121. St Peter’s Square, glistening in the sunshine beneath us, is slowly filling with worshippers. Later, they will have the chance to file past his coffin inside the Basilica to pay their respects, before Francis is transported to his final resting place on Saturday.
  124. Crowds are gathering at St Peter’s Square and the surrounding areas ahead of the procession from Casa Santa Marta to the Basilica.
  125. Here are some of the latest images.
  126. Image source, Reuters
  127. Image caption,
  128. Crowds gather in St Peter’s Square
  129. Image source, Reuters
  130. Image caption,
  131. A view inside St Peter’s Basilica
  132. Image source, Reuters
  133. Image caption,
  134. The queue grows as people wait for Pope Francis’s body to be moved
  136. Image caption,
  137. Nuns and priests are among those who have travelled to Vatican City to pay their respects
  140. Image source, Vatican Media/Simone Risoluti/Handout via Reuters
  141. Yesterday, Italian President Sergio Mattarella paid his respects to Pope Francis in person in the Santa Marta residence at the Vatican.
  142. In a statement released on Monday, Mattarella said: “I learned with great personal sorrow the news of the death of Pope Francis, feeling the serious void that is created with the loss of the point of reference that he has always represented for me,” adding that his teaching leant on international co-operation and peace among other topics.
  143. The Vatican is surrounded by the city of Rome, with the Vatican City State designated in 1929 when the Lateran Treaty was signed by the then-Kingdom of Italy and the Holy See.
  144. The treaty enshrined three sections – politically it designated the area as its own state, but there was also a financial section and a concordat which set out the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Italian state.
  147. Image source, Getty Images
  148. Image caption,
  149. Pope Francis and Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell at a mass in Lisbon in 2023
  150. The Vatican has published a booklet with the details of today’s service, which will take place ahead of the procession that will carry Pope Francis’s body from his residence at Casa Santa Marta to St Peter’s Basilica.
  151. Cardinal Kevin Farrell will lead a prayer before the body is moved.
  152. “Dear brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow, we now accompany the mortal remains of our Pope Francis to the Vatican Basilica,” he will say at the start of the service.
  153. “As we now leave his home, let us thank the Lord for the countless gifts that he bestowed on the Christian people through his servant, Pope Francis.
  154. “Let us ask him, in his mercy and kindness, to grant the late Pope an eternal home in the kingdom of heaven, and to comfort with celestial hope the papal family, the Church in Rome and the faithful throughout the world.”

Page 4

Image source, Reuters

Tens of thousands of mourners have been descending on Vatican City over the last two days to pay their respects to Pope Francis, who died of a stroke on Easter Monday aged 88.

Today, the coffin carrying the Pope will be taken from Casa Santa Marta, where he died, to St Peter’s Basilica at 09:00 local time (08:00 BST).

He will then lie in state until his funeral on Saturday, giving mourners a chance to say a final goodbye.

Pope Francis will be buried at St Mary Major Basilica, making him the first pope since Leo XIII, who died in 1903, to be buried outside the Vatican.

Donald Trump, Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky are among world leaders set to attend the the funeral. Kensington Palace also announced that Prince William would travel to the Vatican on behalf of his father, King Charles.

Yesterday, details of the late pontiff’s final moments were shared by the Vatican, with those who were near him describing his death as “discreet”, “without long waits or too much clamouring”.

The Vatican also shared images of the Pope lying in his open coffin in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, which served as his papal residence for 12 years.

We’ll be bringing you all the latest developments as today’s prayers and procession commence, so stay with us.

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