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| Mourners visit Pope Francis lying in state at St Peter's Basilica | Mourners visit Pope Francis lying in state at St Peter's Basilica |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Tens of thousands of mourners have lined up for a chance to pay their respects to Pope Francis, whose body has been displayed in an open coffin in St Peter's Basilica. | Tens of thousands of mourners have lined up for a chance to pay their respects to Pope Francis, whose body has been displayed in an open coffin in St Peter's Basilica. |
| On Wednesday morning, as many as 20,000 people gathered to witness red-robed cardinals and white-clad priests escort the coffin from the Pope's personal residence. | On Wednesday morning, as many as 20,000 people gathered to witness red-robed cardinals and white-clad priests escort the coffin from the Pope's personal residence. |
| Bells tolled during the 40-minute procession, while the crowd broke into applause - a traditional Italian sign of respect. | Bells tolled during the 40-minute procession, while the crowd broke into applause - a traditional Italian sign of respect. |
| Nine days of mourning will be observed in the Vatican, while the Pope's funeral will be held on Saturday. | Nine days of mourning will be observed in the Vatican, while the Pope's funeral will be held on Saturday. |
| The 88-year-old died on Monday after suffering a stroke. He had spent five weeks in hospital earlier this year with double pneumonia. | The 88-year-old died on Monday after suffering a stroke. He had spent five weeks in hospital earlier this year with double pneumonia. |
| Francis was the first Latin American leader of the Catholic Church and held the role for 12 years. | Francis was the first Latin American leader of the Catholic Church and held the role for 12 years. |
| His body will lie in state in the church until Friday evening. Public viewing began at 11:00 local time (10:00 BST) on Wednesday. | His body will lie in state in the church until Friday evening. Public viewing began at 11:00 local time (10:00 BST) on Wednesday. |
| Swiss Guards, who are responsible for the Pope's safety, escorted his coffin to the church's altar. | Swiss Guards, who are responsible for the Pope's safety, escorted his coffin to the church's altar. |
| Soon after the event began, the queue was already eight hours long, according to Italian media. By mid-afternoon, tens of thousands of people were lining the square. | Soon after the event began, the queue was already eight hours long, according to Italian media. By mid-afternoon, tens of thousands of people were lining the square. |
| The Vatican said it was considering extending the church's opening time beyond midnight due to the number of people waiting. | The Vatican said it was considering extending the church's opening time beyond midnight due to the number of people waiting. |
| The church had been due to close at midnight local time on Wednesday and Thursday and at 19:00 on Friday, before the coffin is sealed. | The church had been due to close at midnight local time on Wednesday and Thursday and at 19:00 on Friday, before the coffin is sealed. |
| Symbolism on show as Pope lies in open coffin | Symbolism on show as Pope lies in open coffin |
| Are you in Rome to pay your respects to the Pope? Get in touch. | Are you in Rome to pay your respects to the Pope? Get in touch. |
| Luis and Macarena, from Mexico, had come to Rome for their honeymoon and hoped to see the Pope, who gives a special blessing to newlyweds. Luis told the BBC seeing the Pope's final resting place would allow them to feel a connection. | Luis and Macarena, from Mexico, had come to Rome for their honeymoon and hoped to see the Pope, who gives a special blessing to newlyweds. Luis told the BBC seeing the Pope's final resting place would allow them to feel a connection. |
| "Pope Francis is a saint and he will bless us from heaven," Luis said. | "Pope Francis is a saint and he will bless us from heaven," Luis said. |
| Mary Ellen, an American who lives in Italy, said she had come to the Vatican on an overnight train to "say goodbye". | Mary Ellen, an American who lives in Italy, said she had come to the Vatican on an overnight train to "say goodbye". |
| "I love Papa Francesco," she said. "Because he's humble, kind, he loves immigrants. I know he's put up with a lot of difficult things in the Vatican. He's fought against power and the power of the Vatican to be a true Christian, true Catholic." | "I love Papa Francesco," she said. "Because he's humble, kind, he loves immigrants. I know he's put up with a lot of difficult things in the Vatican. He's fought against power and the power of the Vatican to be a true Christian, true Catholic." |
| She said when she passes the coffin, she will be praying and will ask Pope Francis for help with her own work with immigrants. | She said when she passes the coffin, she will be praying and will ask Pope Francis for help with her own work with immigrants. |
| Inside St Peter's, under the watchful marble eye of popes and saints, a steady stream of people made their way to the Pope's casket to pay their respects. | Inside St Peter's, under the watchful marble eye of popes and saints, a steady stream of people made their way to the Pope's casket to pay their respects. |
| Some kneeled while others prayed and crossed themselves, before slowly moving on. | Some kneeled while others prayed and crossed themselves, before slowly moving on. |
| Many lingered to admire the staggering beauty of the basilica. The atmosphere was quiet and solemn despite the thousands of people present. | Many lingered to admire the staggering beauty of the basilica. The atmosphere was quiet and solemn despite the thousands of people present. |
| Two women who waited for five hours to see the Pope said they had arrived at the basilica's queue at 09:00. | Two women who waited for five hours to see the Pope said they had arrived at the basilica's queue at 09:00. |
| One told the BBC it was important to her to say goodbye to the pontiff. | One told the BBC it was important to her to say goodbye to the pontiff. |
| "All these years I followed all he did and it's as if I travelled all over the world with him, even if I was just at home. He liked going everywhere and prioritises the poor," she said. | "All these years I followed all he did and it's as if I travelled all over the world with him, even if I was just at home. He liked going everywhere and prioritises the poor," she said. |
| Asked what was it like to see him in his coffin, she replied: "It's just like the man we used to see on TV." | Asked what was it like to see him in his coffin, she replied: "It's just like the man we used to see on TV." |
| Fredrik, who is from Ghana but travelled from Poland, said the Pope had "done his best" and "it is left to us to continue the good works". | Fredrik, who is from Ghana but travelled from Poland, said the Pope had "done his best" and "it is left to us to continue the good works". |
| Eva Asensio, a Mexican on holiday in Italy, said she felt an affinity for the Argentine pope. | Eva Asensio, a Mexican on holiday in Italy, said she felt an affinity for the Argentine pope. |
| "We saw him as a good Pope – someone who supported everyone, no matter your sexual orientation, no matter where you came from. He united us," she said with tears in her eyes. | "We saw him as a good Pope – someone who supported everyone, no matter your sexual orientation, no matter where you came from. He united us," she said with tears in her eyes. |
| Margaux, who is French and lives in Rome, said it was "powerful to live this." | Margaux, who is French and lives in Rome, said it was "powerful to live this." |
| To her, Pope Francis meant "hope", and his more progressive social views were "very important", she said. | To her, Pope Francis meant "hope", and his more progressive social views were "very important", she said. |
| "I hope the next Pope will follow his path," she said. | "I hope the next Pope will follow his path," she said. |
| Dignitaries from all over the world, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Prince William, will attend the funeral on Saturday. | Dignitaries from all over the world, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Prince William, will attend the funeral on Saturday. |
| Pope Francis left clear instructions that he wanted a smaller ceremony in keeping with his simpler tastes as pontiff. He had arranged for a benefactor to pay for it all. | Pope Francis left clear instructions that he wanted a smaller ceremony in keeping with his simpler tastes as pontiff. He had arranged for a benefactor to pay for it all. |
| Unlike the vast majority of his predecessors, he will not be buried in St Peter's, but in a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in central Rome, beneath a tombstone inscribed only with his name. | Unlike the vast majority of his predecessors, he will not be buried in St Peter's, but in a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in central Rome, beneath a tombstone inscribed only with his name. |
| Key candidates in an unpredictable contest to be the next Pope | Key candidates in an unpredictable contest to be the next Pope |
| Acting head of the Vatican Cardinal Kevin Farrell | Acting head of the Vatican Cardinal Kevin Farrell |
| Before being moved to St Peter's, Pope Francis had been lying in an open coffin in the chapel of his home, flanked by Swiss Guards and cardinals in prayer. | Before being moved to St Peter's, Pope Francis had been lying in an open coffin in the chapel of his home, flanked by Swiss Guards and cardinals in prayer. |
| His last public appearance was on Easter Sunday, during which he delivered brief remarks to the masses gathered in St Peter's Square from a wheelchair. | His last public appearance was on Easter Sunday, during which he delivered brief remarks to the masses gathered in St Peter's Square from a wheelchair. |
| He then greeted worshippers and blessed babies as he was driven in a car through the crowds. | He then greeted worshippers and blessed babies as he was driven in a car through the crowds. |
| His Papal apartments have been sealed, marking the start of the period known as the Sede Vacante - or empty seat – which continues until a new head of the church is elected. | His Papal apartments have been sealed, marking the start of the period known as the Sede Vacante - or empty seat – which continues until a new head of the church is elected. |
| Additional reporting by Jorge Perez | Additional reporting by Jorge Perez |