Pope Francis has been one of the most beloved Popes, and Christians are flocking to bid him a final farewell. So much so that the St. Peter's Basilica, where the lying in state of the Argentinean Pope is set up, has remained open until 5:30 in the morning.
Although the scheduled closing time was midnight, it was decided to keep the Vatican basilica open to allow the faithful who had waited up to 3 hours in line to enter and pay homage to the pontiff, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88. The temple closed only for reorganization and cleaning tasks, reopening at 7:00 in the morning due to the large number of faithful
The lying in state will continue until Friday night, and on Saturday, a State funeral will be held with the attendance of presidents such as Donald Trump, Javier Milei, and Lula da Silva, as well as King Felipe VI and the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres.
Nearly 50,000 faithful have already visited Pope Francis' lying in state
Nearly 50,000 faithful have visited Pope Francis' lying in state at St. Peter's Basilica, which opened on Wednesday and remained open almost all night, the Vatican reported on Thursday.
Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrell observes the body of Pope Francis inside St. Peter's Basilica.ANDREW MEDICHINI | POOL
"From 11:00 yesterday (Wednesday) until 08:30 this morning, 48,600 people paid their respects to the body of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Basilica," the Holy See said in a statement. "During the night, from midnight to 5:30, 13,000 people greeted him"
San Lorenzo club fans hold a mass for Francisco, their most famous supporter
Fans of the Argentine football club San Lorenzo de Almagro held a mass in Buenos Aires on Wednesday for the eternal rest of Pope Francis, the most famous fan of the sports club and the "best player in the world," Efe reports
Nearly two hundred people participated in the religious celebration, held at the San Antonio chapel in the Almagro neighborhood of Buenos Aires, where in 1908 Salesian priest Lorenzo Massa founded the 'blue and red' club as a project to get children off the streets.
The membership card of San Lorenzo de Almagro of the Pope.
"Father Jorge (Bergoglio), since he was a child, was passionate about the teachings of Father Lorenzo. Father Lorenzo took care of those who no one saw, and Francisco, imitating Father Lorenzo, took care of those who no one paid much attention to," said Father Juan Pablo Sclippa, who presided over the mass.
The youngest cardinal in the conclave, a millennial born in Ukraine
Ukrainian Mykola Bychok, bishop in the Australian city of Melbourne, will be the youngest member of the conclave that will elect the successor to Pope Francis, who passed away last Monday, four months after being proclaimed cardinal at the age of 45.
The 45-year-old clergyman received the blessing of Francis on December 7, at the last consistory led by the Pope, where the group of 133 cardinals who will choose the next occupant of the Chair of St. Peter was finalized.
A day after becoming a cardinal, Bychok told the Australian public broadcaster ABC that he never dreamed of reaching this position at the same age he expected to be a simple Redemptorist. "To be a priest and that's it," he emphasized.
Vatican finances: Francis' great failure
Having a former IMF director advising a country where there are no --and will not be-- any private businesses sets the tone when examining Vatican finances. Earthly financial laws only affect the Holy See in a very limited way. This is fortunate for the Vatican, which would otherwise be technically bankrupt.
This situation has worsened during Francis' papacy, with some saying that his policies and statements have driven away donors with deep pockets and the wealthiest religious institutions.
Uruguay expresses gratitude for "the life and legacy" of Pope Francis with a mass in Montevideo
With a mass held on Wednesday at the Cathedral of Montevideo, the bishops of Uruguay expressed gratitude for "the life, testimony, and legacy" of Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88, Efe reports.
The event, held in the afternoon, brought together about a thousand people who filled all the seats of the historic temple and every available standing space to follow the celebration.
"We wanted to unite the bishops of all dioceses to give thanks and entrust the future time that opens up for the Church," explained Bishop Fabián Antúnez of the city of San José de Mayo to Agencia EFE.
Peru's Congress does not allow the president to attend the Pope's funeral
Peru's Congress rejected on Wednesday a request from President Dina Boluarte to attend the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican. According to Peruvian law, the acting president cannot leave the country without the authorization of Congress.
After a brief debate, the parliament, controlled by a right-wing majority, denied the request with 45 votes against, 40 in favor, and one abstention.
South Korean faithful bid farewell to the Pope in a solemn mass at Myeongdong Cathedral
South Korean faithful bid a final farewell to Pope Francis on Thursday in a solemn mass held at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul, honoring the pontiff's dedication to creating greater openness in the Church, Efe reports.
The death of Francis on Monday has caused "deep sadness," said Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick during the mass, despite expressing his belief that, after his death, "he has entered into eternal life through the glory of the Lord's resurrection."
The pontiff "showed us the true life of faith and strove to make the Church an open space of mercy and healing for all," Chung said while reflecting on Francis' contributions, according to statements collected by the local news agency Yonhap.
Syria's president emphasizes that Pope Francis "accompanied the Syrian people in their most difficult moments"
Syria's transitional president, Ahmed al Shara, offered his condolences on Wednesday to the Catholic community for the death of Pope Francis at the age of 88 and emphasized that the Pontiff "accompanied the Syrian people in their most difficult moments," Europa Press reports.
The leader of the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) highlighted that Francis "raised his voice fervently against the suffering and injustice endured by the Syrian population." "His appeals transcended political borders, and his legacy of moral fervor and compassion will endure in the hearts of many in our homeland," the statement reads.
The second day of Pope Francis' lying in state expects thousands of faithful
Pope Francis' lying in state continues for a second day on Thursday at St. Peter's Basilica with the expectation of receiving thousands of faithful to bid farewell to the first Latin American pontiff, Afp reports.
In the first hours after its opening on Wednesday, nearly 20,000 people had already paid their respects in front of Francis' open casket, set before the imposing baroque baldachin of the world's largest church.
"It seemed like an opportunity that I would never have again in my life, to witness this demonstration of so many people," said 60-year-old Italo-Uruguayan Daniela Richino to AFP, who has been living in Rome for a few months.