Tens of Thousands View Pope Francis Lying in State

Tens of thousands of mourners gathered at St. Peter's Basilica for the second day of public tributes to Pope Francis, whose body lay in state following his death after 12 years as head of the Catholic Church. The basilica remained open almost all night due to overwhelming crowds, with waiting times reaching up to four hours and nearly 48,600 people filing past his red-lined wooden coffin by Thursday morning. Mourners from around the world, including families and young church groups, expressed admiration for Francis's legacy of humility and advocacy for the marginalized. Security preparations are underway for his funeral, which is expected to draw world leaders such as U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as large numbers of the faithful. The basilica will close to the public on Friday evening before the final rites are held. Many mourners briefly paused to pay their respects, capturing the moment on smartphones as they remembered the pope's influence and compassion.