Boosted Crowds on Pope Francis' Last Day of His Visit - Ongoing Demonstrations Coincide with Final Farewell Ceremony for Pope Francis
Hey there! Big crowd over here at St. Peter's Basilica today. People are flocking to get a peek at the late Pope Francis, even after the Vatican temporarily shut the doors for three hours early Thursday morning. Though they've closed shop for a while, they'll be opening up again later to accommodate all the folks eager for a brief moment with the deceased.
To control the masses, the Vatican has decided to extend the viewing hours late into the night. But, don't try pulling out your camera phones — the Vatican enforced a ban on photography within St. Peter's Basilica due to the disruption caused by tourists snapping selfies in front of the pope's coffin.
People from all over the globe are showing up to bid farewell to the beloved Pope. Michelle Alcaide from the Philippines shared, "We're here to show our love for the Pope. We feel truly blessed to have this final moment with him." Germans were also among the crowd, with Eva Diepenseifen, a 55-year-old attendee, expressing her admiration, "He was a charming man who achieved great things for the Church, though there's room for more progress."
If you're thinking about flying a drone near the scene, think again. Italian and Vatican authorities have implemented a flight ban around St. Peter's Square, and snipers are situated on nearby rooftops with fighter jets on standby. They've put these measures in place for the funeral service this Saturday, too.
Come Saturday, Pope Francis will request to rest in a simple marble tomb inside the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, a historic church located about five kilometers away from St. Peter's in Rome. The last papal pope to rest there was Clement IX in 1669.
Pope Francis' personal wishes determined his final resting place. In his last will and testament[1], he chose to be interred in the fifth-century church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, where he often prayed before and after his foreign travels as pontiff[2]. This decision marks a break from the centuries-old tradition of popes being buried in St. Peter's Basilica.
The Pope passed away at his residence, Santa Marta, on Easter Monday after attending the Easter Mass the day before. He was 88 and had been hospitalized for a severe lung infection in February and March this year.
Keywords:
- Pope Francis
- Public Viewing
- Pope Francis Lying-in-State
- St. Peter's Basilica
- St. Peter's Square
- Vatican
- Santa Maria Maggiore
- Funeral Service
- Rome
[1] Decision Based on Personal WishesPope Francis chose to be buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, marking a significant departure from the centuries-old tradition of popes being interred in St. Peter's Basilica inside the Vatican[1]. His personal connection to the basilica played a crucial role in his decision, with the church being his favorite place to pray during and after his foreign travels as pontiff[2].
[2] A Spiritual ConnectionFrancis frequently paid homage to the Virgin Mary at the fifth-century church of Santa Maria Maggiore before and after his foreign travels as pontiff. This spiritual connection to the basilica drove his choice to be buried there instead of St. Peter's Basilica[1][2].
[3] A Break from TraditionThe last pope to be buried outside the Vatican before Pope Francis was Pope Leo XIII in 1903[3]. Now, Francis joins seven other popes buried at the historic Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, with Clement IX being the last entombed there in 1669.
On the final day of Pope Francis' public viewing, throngs gathered in St. Peter's Square, a part of the Vatican, to bid farewell to the late Pope. Many people, including those from the Philippines and Germany, expressed their love and admiration for Pope Francis, with some viewing it as a profound moment in their lives. In contrast to St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis will rest in a simple marble tomb inside the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, marking a break from the centuries-old tradition of popes being buried in St. Peter's Basilica. This choice was influenced by Pope Francis' spiritual connection to the fifth-century church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, where he often prayed before and after his foreign travels as pontiff.
