More than 100,000 mourners filed through St. Peter’s Basilica on Friday to bid farewell to Pope Francis, as the Vatican prepared to seal his casket ahead of Saturday’s funeral.
Shortly after 7 p.m. local time (1700 GMT), the Vatican concluded its continuous television broadcast of the viewing, bringing to an end the final hours for the public to pay their respects. A private ceremony was held to officially close the casket, overseen by senior church officials.
Francis, who led the Roman Catholic Church since 2013, passed away on Monday at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke while recuperating from a bout of pneumonia at the Vatican’s Santa Marta residence.
According to Vatican estimates, around 250,000 people from across the globe visited St. Peter’s Basilica to view the late pontiff’s body since it was placed there in state on Wednesday.
Among the final visitors were French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte, who stood solemnly by the coffin. President Macron bowed his head in silence, while the First Lady made the sign of the cross.
Throughout Friday, long lines of mourners wound through St. Peter’s Square and surrounding streets, with some waiting hours for a brief moment of tribute.
“It’s a very strong feeling to be here,” said Patricio Castriota, a visitor from Argentina, the pope’s home country. “This farewell was very sad, but I thank God that I was able to see him. He had many good intentions for the Church — he tried to clean up a lot, maybe not everything, but he tried.”
Pope Francis, the first pontiff from the Americas, was widely admired for his warm and approachable demeanor, though his tenure was not without controversy. His 12-year papacy saw efforts to modernize the Church, often clashing with traditionalists resistant to change.
“He humanised the Church, without desacralising it,” said Cardinal François-Xavier Bustillo, head of the Church on France’s Corsica island.
A formal document summarizing Francis’ life and papacy, written in Latin, was placed inside the casket before sealing. It describes him as a “beloved and simple pastor” who left “a marvellous testimony of humanity, a holy life, and universal fatherhood.”
Rome Braces for Funeral and New Era
Preparations are underway for Saturday’s funeral, with the Vatican expecting 160 foreign delegations, including U.S. President Donald Trump and 10 reigning monarchs, to attend the ceremony.
While there was speculation that diplomatic discussions regarding the war in Ukraine might occur on the sidelines, France’s Elysee Palace confirmed Friday that President Macron would not host any political meetings during the trip.
Trump is expected to be in Rome for just 15 hours, arriving late Friday and departing immediately after the funeral.
Meanwhile, the College of Cardinals has assumed temporary leadership of the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church. A conclave to elect the next pope is not expected to begin before May 6. Of the Church’s 252 cardinals, 149 had arrived in Rome as of Friday, with more en route.
Security has been significantly tightened in the Italian capital ahead of the funeral, with snipers positioned on rooftops, drone surveillance, and anti-drone defenses deployed. Much of central Rome will be closed to traffic on Saturday.
Following the funeral Mass at St. Peter’s, the late pope’s body will be transported to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major), in keeping with his wish to be buried there instead of the traditional resting place in St. Peter’s.
The procession will pass many of Rome’s historic landmarks, including the Colosseum, as crowds are expected to line the streets. His final resting place will feature a simple marble slab inscribed with just one word: Franciscus.
