Vatican authorities are asking visitors not to take selfies with the late Pope Francis, while he is in the coffin in St. Peter’s Basilica, and keep their cell phones as they pass through the pontiff.
Almost 150,000 people paid tribute to Francis, many of them queuing for hours to see him lying in an open coffin, the Holy See said in a statement.
And while many lowered their heads in reflection and prayer, others raised cell phones, trying to take pictures of the Pope at rest, showed images of CNN filmed on Wednesday (23) in the Basilica.
Videos published in Tiktok also showed people stopping in front of the coffin to pose for selfies. “What a disrespect,” said a comment, who received over seven thousand likes.
Criticized authorities
On Thursday (24), authorities were guiding visitors to keep cell phones and not photographing as they passed through the coffin, after being criticized for not controlling the use of cell phones effectively the day before.
THE CNN contacted the Vatican for comments.
Anyone is forbidden to photograph or shoot the pontiff “on their sick bed or after death,” except when the camerlengo (interim authority) authorizes for documentary purposes, according to a Vatican -issued directive in 1996.
Since then, technological advances and the rise of smartphones mean that almost everyone now carries a camera all the time.
And when public figures die, rituals can change, strangely, between a solemn and respectful wake and the opportunity to personally record a moment in history.
End of the wake and funeral
The faithful will still be able to pay their honors to Pope Francis in person until 19h, local time (14h, Brasília time) this Friday (25), when the public can no longer queue to enter the Basilica.
This Saturday (26), the Pontiff will be buried in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, after a ceremony with the presence of several political and religious leaders, members of royalty and celebrities.
Much of the funeral will be held in St. Peter’s Square, before a procession to Santa Maria Maggiore, passing through the heart of Imperial Rome, passing through the Roman Forum and the Colosseum.
This content was originally published in Vatican asks visitors not to take selfies with Pope Francis’ coffin on the CNN Brazil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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