St. Peter’s Basilica welcomes the faithful once again goodbye to the pope

St. Peter’s Basilica opened its doors once again on Thursday, following a short intermission in the early morning, to greet thousands of worshippers from across the globe wishing to honor Pope Francis with their final respects.

Nearly 50,000 individuals have gathered at the basilica to honor the late pontiff, who has been displayed in an open coffin since Wednesday in preparation for his funeral on Saturday, according to Vatican media.

Due to the large crowds, the church, originally set to close at midnight, remained open until 5:30 a.m. (03:30 GMT) before reopening at 7 a.m.

The remains of the 88-year-old pope, who passed away on Monday in his quarters at the Vatican’s Santa Marta guesthouse following a stroke, were transported to St. Peter’s in a dignified procession on Wednesday.

Francis, an innovative reformer, experienced a tumultuous 12-year reign marked by frequent conflicts with traditionalists while advocating for the poor and marginalized.

On Saturday, more than 170 delegations, including heads of state and government, are anticipated to gather in St. Peter’s Square for the funeral ceremony, while millions more will be tuning in on television worldwide.
“A chapter in the Church’s history has been closed,” Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Muller stated in an interview with the Italian daily la Repubblica, published on Thursday.

The German cardinal, recognized as a conservative and one of the 133 princes of the church, is anticipated to participate in a conclave next month to elect the Church’s 267th pontiff and successor to Francis. He expressed that there was “unanimous appreciation” for the pope’s efforts regarding migrants and the poor.