Faithful Gather at St Peter’s to Pay Respect to Pope Francis

Vatican City: Pope Francis represented humility and hope, faithful told reporters as they paid their respects at his lying in state in St Peter’s Thursday. Flags from Portugal, Cuba, and Argentina were among those carried on the shoulders of the faithful in St. Peter’s Square. They have come from all over the world to pay homage to the body of Pope Francis.

According to Ansa News Agency, Vukani and Michael arrived this morning from South Africa, from Durban and Cape Town respectively, wearing their flags as capes. “We didn’t even check in, we came straight to the square,” they said. Their 14-hour journey was already scheduled for the canonization of ‘teen Internet saint’ Carlo Acutis. “Even though it was suspended, we are lucky to be in Rome and be part of this historic moment,” said Vukani, who saw Pope Francis in Mozambique and Mauritius, while Michael did in Ireland and Rome. “He has never been to South Africa, close yes, but it doesn’t matter because we went to him,” added the young man from Cape Town who emphasized how Jorge Mario Bergoglio represented “humility, simplicity, and hope.”

Just like the two friends, Ines and Bartosh from Poland came with their four children for the canonization of Carlo Acutis. “He gave us a beautiful image of God,” they said, holding John Paul II close to their hearts as well. They added, “We waited in line to enter the basilica only for an hour; they had told us over two hours, but it was a surprise, it didn’t take us long.”

A family from Cremona, upon hearing of the pontiff’s death, decided to reach the capital, stating, “The Pope embodied the values that Jesus preached.” The queues around the basilica have continued since this morning, including many scouts from different cities and nations, such as Orane and Diane from France who met the pontiff in Lisbon for the WYD in 2023, or the Agesci from Catania who are holding an image of Francis in their hands.