A crowd of faithful meets in São Pedro Square in Pomegranate to pay the last honors to Pope Francis . The pontiff’s body was taken in an open coffin from the Santa Marta residence to the Basilica of St. Peter on Wednesday (23), where he will be veiled until Friday (25).
The scenery in the square is an impressive line, with people waiting patiently for hours to have the opportunity to say goodbye to the Pope. Américo Martins Senior Analyst of International CNN reported his experience in line.
“I have been in line for an hour and 25 minutes and there is an estimate that this line lasts at least eight hours for us to get there, at the entrance of St. Peter’s Cathedral, and then be able to see the Pope’s body and pay the last honors.”
Reinforced security and organization
To access the square, the faithful undergo a rigorous security scheme. Américo Martins described the process: “We have to go through several checks. First, a check on the bags that people are carrying. Stop everyone, search everything inside the bags and then everyone needs to go through metal detectors.”
Despite the long waiting time, the environment is described as calm and quiet, with people demonstrating patience and respect for the moment. Volunteers of Red Cross They are present, distributing water to avoid dehydration, as the temperature is around 22 degrees, with strong sun.
Reverence atmosphere
The absence of walking trade in São Pedro Square draws attention, contrasting with what would be common in large events in other countries. This feature contributes to maintaining an atmosphere of reverence and solemnity during the wake.
The flow of people is controlled with the Angelica door, one of the square’s entrances, having been closed for about 40 minutes due to the capacity of the space. This care in the organization aims to ensure that everyone can pay their honors in an orderly and safe way.
Farewell to Pope Francis continues to attract faithful from various parts of the world, reflecting the global impact of his papacy and the respect he has gained during his time as leader of the Catholic Church.
This content was originally published in CNN correspondent waits in line at Pope Francis’ funeral on the CNN Brazil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
