Pope Francis resides in the state while thousands of people meet to pay tribute to Rome – National

Thousands of people have deposited in the central aisle of the Saint-Pierre basilica to pay final tribute to Pope Francis On Wednesday, the start of three days of public vision before the pontiff funeral.

Crowds of ordinary faithful were slowly directed to the main altar of the 16th century basilica, where the simple open wooden coffin from Francis was perched on a slight ramp, while four Swiss guards were standing for attention. In the coming days, tens of thousands of people should go through the basilica, and the Vatican said that it could keep the basilica open after midnight due to a high participation rate of the first day.

Many people who paid tribute had come to Rome to celebrate Easter during spring vacation or other personal things, for meeting the news of Francis’s death on Easter Monday. By devotion to the Argentinian pope and his message of inclusion, they joined the procession of mourning people who crossed the holy door and in the central aisle of the basilica.

Francis was fitted out in red dresses, tightening a rosary and wearing the bishop miter, the traditional sharp hairstyle. The mourning people waited for hours to reach the coffin – who was sitting behind a cord – some holding their mobile phones in the air while they were approaching him to take photos in what has become a modern ritual.

“It gave me chills,” said Ivennes Bianco, when she left the basilica. She was in Rome of the southern city of Brindisi for medical care and had come to pay tribute to her.

“He was important to me because he encouraged coexistence. He gathered a lot of people. ”

The cardinals, on the other hand, met in private to finalize the preparations for the funeral on Saturday and plan the conclave to elect the successor of Francis.

Francis died Monday at 88 years old, capping a 12 -year pontificate characterized by his concern for the poor and the message of inclusion, but also certain criticisms on the part of the conservatives who sometimes felt distant by his progressive fold.

Wednesday opened with the bells of the Saint-Pierre toll while the carriers wore the body of Francis of the Vatican hotel where he lived in the basilica in a procession by the same piazza where he had delivered what became his last farewell. Francis made a surprise tour of Popemobile through the faithful on Easter Sunday, after being provided by his nurse that he could despite his fragile health continues with a blow of pneumonia.

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Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who temporarily directs the Vatican until a new pope is elected, led the procession to the central aisle of the altar, with clouds of incense which preceded it as well as the choir singing the litany of the Saints. In pairs, the cardinals in the red strains approached the coffin, bowed and made a sign of the cross, followed by small groups of bishops at the Hebor Violet, black bailiffs, priests and nuns – then the doors were opened to the public.

The heads of state are expected for Francis’ funeral, but the three days of public viewing in the basilica allow ordinary Catholics to cry the Argentinian Pope. The vision ends Friday at 7 p.m., after which the coffin of Francis will be closed and sealed.

Francis’ death and funeral inaugurated a period of transition carefully orchestrated in the Catholic church of $ 1.4 billion, with cardinals gathering in the coming days before entering a conclave, the secret ritual vote in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. There are 135 cardinals under the age of 80 and eligible to vote, and the new pontiff will likely come from their ranks. The conclave should not start before May 5.

South Korean Cardinal Lazarus, you Heung-Sik, who heads the Vatican office for the priests, predicted a short conclave, but recognized that the transition is full of uncertainties.

“We will see what the Holy Spirit says,” he said on Wednesday. When asked if the next pope could come from Asia, where the Catholic Church grew, he insisted: “For the Lord, there is no east or west.”

The first and only cardinal from Papua New Guinea, John Ribat, prepared Wednesday to leave for Rome to participate in the vote, happy to represent the poor nation of the southern Pacific Island of 12 million people and more than 800 languages ​​in a college in Cardinals that François diversified for 12 years.

“The important thing is that … Papua New Guinea is part of the Church, the World Church. And to be able to have a representative from here to be in the Conclave, it is a great thing,” Ribart told the Australian church of Broadcasting Corp. He said that he hoped the following pope would be someone who could direct the church in a way that is true and to link everyone. “”

Francis first shed in the state of the Domus Santa Marta hotel in a private vision for the Vatican residents and the Papal House. The images published by the Vatican Tuesday showed the Pope in an open coffin, carrying the traditional sharp hairstyle of bishops and red dresses, his hands folded on a rosary. N ° 2 of the Vatican, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, was photographed by praying by Francis.

Once inside the basilica, the Francis coffin was not put on a raised beer – as was the case with past popes – but placed on a ramp, facing the benches. It was in agreement with Francis’ wishes for all rituals surrounding a papal funeral to be simplified to reflect his conviction that the role of the Pope is that of the simple pastor, not the world leader.

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The funeral of Pope Francis are held in Saint-Pierre on Saturday Saturday Saturday

“For me, Pope Francis represents a great pastor, as well as a great friend for all of us,” said Mical Sales, visiting the Saint-Pierre Basilica of Brazil.

Italian police have tightened the security of vision and funeral, making foot and horses around the Vatican, where the pilgrims continued to arrive for the celebrations of the Holy Year that Francis opened in December. The faithful who cross the holy door of Saint-Pierre for many years are granted indulgences, a means of helping to atone for sins.

“I think he has broadcast a positive message in the world, saying that there should not be violence, there should be world peace,” said Amit Kukreja, from Australia.

The funeral was set for Saturday at 10 a.m. on Saint-Pierre square and will be assisted by leaders such as US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy.

The cardinals are continuing their meetings this week to plan the conclave and make other decisions concerning the management of the Catholic Church.

The first Latin American pontift in history has charmed the world of his humble style and his concern for the poor, but has alienated many conservatives with criticism of capitalism and climate change.

Francis had reserves on his last Popemobile tour via St. Peter’s Square at Easter, the Vatican News reported on Tuesday. But he overcome them, said the news agency, and was grateful to have greeted the crowd. He died the next morning.

“The death of a pope is not a little thing, because we have lost our leader ” said Julio Henrique of Brazil just outside the basilica.” But still, in a few days, we will have a new leader. So … the thing of hope remains. Who will assume Peter’s throne?

–The journalists of Associated Press Silvia Stellacci and Trisha Thomas contributed to this report.