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Thousands mob Pope Francis' coffin in Rome's St. Peter's Square

Over a 24-hour period from Wednesday to Thursday morning, approximately 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the Pope's coffin, with around 13,000 making their visit during the night, as stated by the Vatican.

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Thousands mob Pope Francis' coffin in Rome's St. Peter's Square

Pope Francis' Dark Night Vigil: Unrelenting Tribute, Tens of Thousands Waiting

The tiny sovereign nation, the Vatican, has been bustling day and night, as faithful flock to bid their final farewell to the late Pope Francis. Since Wednesday morning, over 61,000 people have paid their respects, spending hours in wraparound lines to enter St. Peter's Basilica.

As night falls, the crowd only swells. Security measures are stringent, resulting in a sluggish advance for both the faithful and tourists flooding Rome. St. Peter’s Basilica, the smallest state in the world, maintains an organized flow of visitors.

The cardinals, gradually assembling in Rome, held their third meeting on Thursday, following a congregation attended by 103 of them. These preparatory meetings aim to set the stage for the conclave, exclusively reserved for the 135 cardinals aged under 80.

The coffining ceremony for Pope Francis is slated for Friday at 8 p.m., presided over by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo of the Catholic Church.

Post-three-day public displays, a funeral mass will take place on Saturday, when heads of state will participate. Pope Francis will then rest in a niche at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. Wednesday saw an astounding 10,000 people gather for this viewing.

Starting Saturday, the Vatican will commence nine days of mourning, with solemn celebrations held each day at St. Peter’s until May 4. The anticipated attendance for the funeral mass is up to 200,000, with over 130 foreign dignitaries confirmed to attend.

This Saturday marks the commencement of a new era for the Vatican, signifying the solemn end of Pope Francis' reign.

Sources & Insights

  1. Pope Francis' funeral is set for Saturday, April 26, 2025, beginning at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. Eastern)[1].
  2. Expected attendance is approximately 200,000 mourners and over 130 foreign dignitaries will attend[2].
  3. The funeral mass will be presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals[2].
  4. Enhanced security measures, including drone surveillance, foot patrols, and horse-mounted units, will be deployed to manage crowds[2].
  5. Viewers in North America can catch ABC News Live's coverage starting at 3:30 a.m. ET, available via Disney+, Hulu, and affiliated stations[1].

[1] internalABC News (2025) Pope Francis funeral: What to know, when to watch. Retrieved from https://www.abcnews.com/faith/pope-francis-funeral-what-know-watch-20250421[2] internalVatican News (2025) Details emerge about the Pope’s funeral plans. Retrieved from https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-04/pope-francis-funeral-plans.html

  1. Despite the Vatican's small size, it has been crowded since the start of the public display for Pope Francis, with an attendance of over 61,000 people in just a few days.
  2. On Saturday, the Vatican will close for a nine-day mourning period, during which a solemn funeral mass for Pope Francis is expected to draw up to 200,000 mourners and over 130 foreign dignitaries.
  3. Politics and general news outlets have been closely following the events surrounding Pope Francis' passing and the ensuing plans for his funeral.
  4. The Vatican has made extensive security arrangements for the public viewing and funeral, deploying measures such as drone surveillance, foot patrols, and horse-mounted units to ensure the safety of the massive crowd.
Over the course of two days, a remarkable 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the remains of Saint John Paul II, with 13,000 doing so during the night, as per Vatican reports.
Over the course of Wednesday night into Thursday morning, a total of 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the pope's body, with 13,000 doing so overnight, as reported by the Vatican.
Over a 24-hour period spanning Wednesday to Thursday early morning, approximately 48,600 individuals paid their tributes to the deceased Pope. There were around 13,000 attendees during the overnight hours, as stated by the Vatican.
Crowds of 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the Pope's body over a 24-hour period, with 13,000 doing so during the night, as per the Vatican's reports.
Over a 24-hour period, approximately 48,600 individuals passed by Saint-Pope's mortal remains, with around 13,000 people doing so during the night, as per the Vatican's reports.
Thousands Pay Respects to Saint Pope John Paul II: Vatican Reports 48,600 People Passing by His Body Over a 24-Hour Period, with 13,000 Visitors During the Night Alone
Thousands Pay Respects to Saint-Père Remains: Vatican Reports Overnight, a Total of 48,600 Visitants from Wednesday Night to Thursday Morning
Over a 24-hour period, approximately 48,600 individuals paid respects to the deceased Saint-Pope, with 13,000 visiting during the night, reports the Vatican.
Over a 24-hour period from Wednesday to Thursday dawn, an estimated 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the deceased pontiff, with approximately 13,000 visiting at night, as confirmed by the Vatican.
Large crowd flocks to Vatican City: Over 48,600 individuals, among them 13,000 in the early hours, pay their respects to the remains of Saint Pope John Paul II.
Over a 24-hour period, approximately 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the pope's corpse, with around 13,000 doing so during the night, as stated by the Vatican.
Over a 24-hour period, nearly 48,600 individuals paid respects to the Saint-Pope, with approximately 13,000 doing so during the night, as indicated by the Vatican.
Over a 24-hour period, approximately 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the late Pontiff, with 13,000 doing so overnight, as reported by the Vatican.
Over a span of 24 hours, approximately 48,600 individuals, with 13,000 visiting during the night, paid their respects to the deceased pope, as per the Vatican's announcement.
Over a 24-hour period spanning Wednesday to Thursday, a total of 48,600 individuals visited to mourn the late Saint John Paul II, with approximately 13,000 attending overnight, based on Vatican reports.
Over a 24-hour period from Wednesday to Thursday dawn, approximately 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the deceased Pope, with around 13,000 doing so during the night, as per Vatican reports.
extensive numbers of individuals paid respects to the deceased Pope over the course of two days, with over 13,000 doing so during the night, as confirmed by the Vatican.
Over a 24-hour period, approximately 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the late Pope, with 13,000 of those visits occurring during the night, as per statements by the Vatican.
Over a span of hours spanning Wednesday to early Thursday, an estimated 48,600 individuals visited the late Pope John Paul II's remains, with 13,000 choosing to pay their respects during the night, as per Vatican reports.
Crowds of 48,600 people paid their respects to the late Pope over a 24-hour period, with 13,000 attending during the night, as reported by the Vatican.
Over a 24-hour period between Wednesday and Thursday, approximately 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the deceased Pope, with around 13,000 doing so during the night, as reported by the Vatican.
Multitude of 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the deceased Saint-Pope, with a significant 13,000 doing so during the wee hours, as per the Vatican's report.
Over a 24-hour period, approximately 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the Pope, with around 13,000 doing so during the night, as per the Vatican's report.
Multitude of 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the Pope's funeral bier between Wednesday and early Thursday, with 13,000 doing so during the night, as per Vatican records.
Over night and into Thursday, a staggering 13,000 individuals, joining 35,600 others during the day, paid their respects to the deceased Pope, as per Vatican reports.
Over a 24-hour period from Wednesday to Thursday early morning, approximately 48,600 individuals paid their respects to late Saint Pope John Paul II, with around 13,000 doing so during the night, as per the Vatican's report.
Over a 24-hour span, approximately 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the deceased Pope, with a significant 13,000 doing so during the night, as per the Vatican's reports.
Over a span of two days, from Wednesday evening to Thursday morning, approximately 48,600 individuals visited the deceased Pope, with 13,000 doing so during the night, as per Vatican reports.
Over a 24-hour period, approximately 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the deceased Pope at the Vatican, with around 13,000 visiting during the night hours.
Over a 24-hour period from Wednesday to Thursday mornings, an estimated 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the late Saint-Pope, with 13,000 visiting during the night, as stated by the Vatican.
Over a 24-hour period, approximately 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the late Saint Pope, with 13,000 doing so during the night, as per the Vatican's reports.
Over a stretch of 12 hours from Wednesday night to early Thursday, approximately 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the deceased Saint-Pope, with 13,000 visiting during the night, as per Vatican reports.
Over a span of hours, spanning from Wednesday evening to early Thursday, approximately 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the deceased pope, with 13,000 choosing to do so during the night, as per Vatican records.
Over a 24-hour period, approximately 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the Pope, with 13,000 doing so during the night, as per Vatican's announcement.
Over a 24-hour period from Wednesday to Thursday, approximately 48,600 individuals paid respects to the Saint-Pope, with around 13,000 people visiting at night, as per Vatican reports.
Over a 24-hour period, approximately 48,600 individuals have strolled by the late Saint-Pope's body, with around 13,000 people marching past during the night, as reported by the Vatican.
Over a 24-hour period, approximately 48,600 individuals paid respects to the late Saint-Pope, with 13,000 doing so during the nighttime hours, according to Vatican statements.
Thousands Honor the Passed Saint-Pope: Overnight, 13,000 Individuals Joined the Vigil, While an Additional 35,600 Paid Their Respects During Daylight Hours, as per Vatican Figures.
Multitude of Individuals Pay Respects to the Saint-Pope: Overnight and Daytime, a Total of 48,600 People Paid Their Respects, as Per Vatican Reports
Over a 24-hour period, a total of 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the late Pope, with 13,000 visiting during the night, as per the Vatican's report.
Over a 12-hour period, a total of 48,600 individuals honored the deceased Pope, with 13,000 visiting during the night hours, as per the Vatican's reports.
Over a 24-hour period, stretching from Wednesday evening until early Thursday, approximately 48,600 individuals paid their respects to Pope John Paul II, with a significant 13,000 doing so during the night, as per the Vatican's reports.
Crowd of 48,600 mourners, among them 13,000 at night, reportedly paid their respects to the Pope's lifeless body from Wednesday night till Thursday morning, as per the Vatican's announcement.
Crowds of 48,600 individuals, with 13,000 joining during the night, paid respects to the deceased Saint-Pope, as the Vatican communicated.
Over a 24-hour period, approximately 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the deceased Saint-Pope, with a significant 13,000 making their way during the night hours, as per the Vatican update.
Large crowd observed as Saint-Pope's body is visited, with 13,000 attending overnight, as per Vatican estimates.
Over a 24-hour period from Wednesday to Thursday, an estimated 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the deceased Pope, with approximately 13,000 visiting during the night, as per Vatican reports.
Over a span of 24 hours, approximately 48,600 individuals paid their respects to the deceased Pope, with around 13,000 attending the night-time viewing. As per Vatican reports.

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