A Farewell to Francis: Final Respects at St. Peter's

St. Peter's Basilica reopened briefly to allow thousands to pay their respects to Pope Francis, who passed away at 88. Crowds queued for hours to view his open coffin. Francis, the first non-European pope in 1,300 years, was celebrated for his dedication to the poor. His funeral is scheduled for Saturday.

St. Peter's Basilica briefly closed before reopening to accommodate thousands of mourners paying their respects to Pope Francis. Since Wednesday, around 61,000 people have visited his open coffin ahead of Saturday's funeral, Vatican officials reported.

Crowds formed lines stretching approximately 2 kilometers, with some attendees waiting up to three hours to enter the basilica. Francis, aged 88, passed away Monday morning in his Vatican rooms. He had recently been hospitalized for five weeks after suffering from double pneumonia.

Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Mueller, a traditionalist who often clashed with Francis, noted the late pope's efforts with migrants and the poor were widely appreciated. Over 170 delegations, including heads of state like U.S. President Donald Trump, are expected for the funeral. The Vatican continues preparation meetings for the selection of a new pontiff.