International Laying out of Francis ends - Vatican: 250,000 people
After three days, the public laying out of Pope Francis in the Vatican has come to an end. In the evening, St. Peter's Basilica closed its doors to visitors who wanted to pay their last respects to the deceased pontiff. Shortly before 7 p.m., French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte came to the cathedral to pray next to the coffin. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was also in St. Peter's Basilica in the early evening.
25.04.2025, 19:47
SDA
Since the laying in state began on Wednesday, around 250,000 people have flocked to the basilica, where Francis could be seen in an open coffin in front of the main altar. This estimate was announced by the Holy See in the evening. Queues formed outside St. Peter's Basilica, some of them several kilometers long. Contrary to the original plan, the cathedral remained largely open to visitors during the night to allow the many people to enter.
On Friday evening, the casket was then closed to the public. A large funeral service with state guests from all over the world is planned for Saturday in St. Peter's Square. Afterwards, the coffin will be driven through Rome to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where Francis will be buried in the afternoon.
