Pope Francis’s body moved to St. Peter’s Basil for lying in the state

Pope Francis’ body was postponed from his Vatican residence to St. Peter’s Basilica to allow believers to pay their respect before the funeral on Saturday.

The Pope’s open coffin was held on Wednesday morning in a solemn procession through St. Peter’s Square, where thousands of believers gathered.

When the coffin crossed the area, the bells floated and the crowds invaded applause – the traditional Italian respect.

The Pope died on Monday at the age of 88 after a stroke and a battle with double pneumonia, for which he spent five weeks at the hospital earlier this year. The first Latin American leader of the Catholic Church, he has played a role for 12 years.

On Wednesday, the Cardinals with red and white priests walked through the pope’s coffin from the personal residence in the Santa Marta’s guest house to St. Peter’s Basilica. The procession lasted just under 40 minutes.

The Swiss guards who are responsible for the Pope’s safety accompanied his coffin to the altar of the church.

His body will lie in the state in the church until Friday evening. Public viewing started at 11:00 local time (10:00 BST) on Wednesday.

The crowds were going to pay their respect in the morning, and hundreds joined the procession.

Mary Ellen, an American who lives in Italy, told the BBC that she came to the Vatican from a night train to “say goodbye”.

“I love Dad Francesco,” she said. “Because he is modest, kind, he loves immigrants. I know he put up with a lot of difficult things in the Vatican. He fought against the Vatican power and the Vatican’s power to be a true Christian, a true Catholic.”

She said that, passing the coffin, she would pray and at the request of Pope Francis assistance in her own work with immigrants.

Fredrick, who came from Ghana but came from Poland, said that the Pope “did his best” and “we have to continue good deeds.”

Eva Asension, Mexican on the holiday in Italy, said she feels committed to the Argentine pope.

“We saw him as a good pope – the one who supported everyone, regardless of your sexual orientation, no matter where you came from. He united us,” she said with tears in her eyes.

Marga, who is a French language and lives in Rome, said that “to live it powerfully.”

For her, Pope Francis meant “hope”, and his more progressive social views were “very important”, she said.

“I hope the next Pope will go down his way,” she said.

Directors from all over the world, including British Prime Minister Sir Kire Starmer and Prince William, will be present at the funeral on Saturday.

Pope Francis left clear indications that he wanted a smaller ceremony according to his simpler flavors as a pantiff. He organized the benefactor to pay for everything.

Unlike the vast majority of its predecessors, it will not be buried in St. Peter, but in the church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Central Rome, under the tombstone, the inscription only his name.

Before moving to St. Peter, Pope Francis lay in an open coffin in the chapel of his house, in prayer, covered with Swiss guards and cardinals.

His last public speech took place on the Easter Sunday, where he made a short masses gathered on St. Peter’s Square. He then met believers and blessed babies when he was going into the car through the crowd.

His papal apartments were sealed with wax – noting the beginning of a period known as the SEDE Vacante – or the empty place – which is ongoing until the new head of the church is selected.

An additional report by Jorge Perez