Summary

Thousands gather for final hours of Pope's lying in state

Live Reporting

Edited by Neha Gohil, with Sarah Rainsford and Maryam Moshiri reporting from Vatican City

  1. What happens next?

    Four cardinals stand in the forefront of the frame wearing their characteristic red tunics and skullcaps while the focus of the camera is on the hands of the late Pope Francis laying in his coffin in St Peter's BasilicaEPA

    As we've been reporting, the general public is now able to visit St Peter's Basilica to file past Pope Francis's coffin and pay their respects.

    Tomorrow, members of the public will be able to see his body lying in state from 07:00 until midnight and from 07:00 to 19:00 on Friday.

    His funeral will be on Saturday at 10:00 in the square in front of St Peter's Basilica.

    Patriarchs, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests from across the globe will take part. The dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, will lead the service.

  2. 20,000 people gathered at St Peter's Square - reports

    People line up to enter St. Peter’s Basilica to pay their respects to the late Pope Francis, where he will lie in state for three days, at the Vatican, April 23, 2025Reuters

    As many as 20,000 pilgrims gathered at St Peter's Square today to witness the procession of Pope Francis's body, according to reports by Vatican media.

    Many of those who witnessed the service in the square will likely also join the queue to see the Pope lying in state.

    The transfer of the Pope's coffin to St Peter's Basilica began at 09:00 local time (08:00 BST) on Wednesday, following a prayer ceremony in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, where the Pope lived.

    The procession was led by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo. He is the person who runs the Vatican after the death or resignation of a pope.

  3. 'I hope next Pope will follow his path', Rome resident says

    Margaux (young woman with brown hair in a low ponytail wearing a light blue short-sleeved shirt) at St Peter's Square

    Among those at St Peter's Square planning to go inside the Basilica over the next couple of days to see the Pope lying in state is Margaux, who is from France and runs a restaurant near the square.

    She was moved by today's procession and service.

    Margaux tells the BBC it's all been a bit of a shock, but as a Catholic she is glad to be able to attend the events and plans to attend the funeral on Saturday.

    "I saw him a couple of times here, with a beautiful smile, message of love also. I really like him," she adds.

    Pope Francis's progressive views were "very important" to Margaux.

    "I hope the next pope will follow him along his path," she adds, saying that she does worry about what will happen in the next week. "I hope it's going to be just like him, following his ideas," Margaux says.

    Living in Vatican City is "mystical" and "beautiful", Margaux adds, as she walks among priests, nuns and tourists surrounded by the religious hub's impressive architecture.

  4. Pope's coffin placed in front of Papal Altar

    Here's a shot of the Pope's coffin, situated inside the grand St Peter's Basilica, in front of the Papal Altar - which is built over the tomb of the saint.

    It will remain there until the funeral on Saturday.

    An aerial shot of the inside of the basilica, with the pope's coffin situated in front of the Papal AltarReuters

  5. Public enter St Peter's Basilica to see Pope

    Dozens of people filing into St Peter's Basilica, with the Pope's coffin at the centreReuters

    Mourners have begun filing in to St Peter's Basilica to pay their final respects to Pope Francis.

    As a reminder, the Basilica will stay open until 24:00 local time (23:00 BST) today.

  6. People continue to mourn Pope Francis around the world

    While the focus is on Vatican City, members of the public from all over the world are continuing to mourn Pope Francis.

    In the pictures below, we can see emotions running high at St Peter's Square during this morning's procession, as well as people paying their respects to the late pontiff in Jerusalem and Jakarta.

    A woman wearing a green shirt cryingReuters

    A woman reacts to this morning's procession ceremony that saw the Pope carried into St Peter's Basilica

    A woman holds a candle in the airEPA

    People light candles as they attend a special mass prayer at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem

    Five women stand in a lineEPA

    People queue to be allowed into the Vatican Embassy to offer their condolences for the Pope in Jakarta, Indonesia

  7. St Peter's Basilica about to reopen to public

    Dozens of people waiting in a queue to enter St Peter's Basilica to pay homage to the late Pope.Reuters

    As we've been reporting, the Pope's body will now lie in state inside St Peter's Basilica until his funeral on Saturday.

    In the next few minutes, the Basilica will reopen and the public will be able to file past the open coffin to pay their final respects.

    The Basilica will be open at the following times:

    • Wednesday 23 April - from 11:00 to 00:00 local time
    • Thursday 24 April - from 07:00 to 00:00 local time
    • Friday 25 April - from 07:00 to 19:00 local time

  8. Watch: The moment Pope Francis's coffin arrives at St Peter's Basilica

    Pope Francis's coffin has made its way to St Peter's Basilica, where a small service has just concluded.

    Hundreds gathered in St Peter's Square to greet the coffin during the procession.

    In the clip below, you can see the moment the coffin arrives at the location where Francis will now lie in state until the funeral on Saturday:

    Pope's coffin arrives at St Peter's Basilica

  9. 'Procession was beautiful and moving'

    Laura Gozzi
    Reporting from Vatican City

    Charmaine and LuigiLaura Gozzi/BBC

    Charmaine and Luigi are visiting Rome from South Africa. They got in on Monday, the day the Pope died, and found out the news from live TV whilst on the plane.

    The pair just witnessed the procession a few metres away from where I was standing.

    “It was beautiful - and amazing to be able to witness it,” Charmaine says, as her husband nods. “It was very moving.”

    Will they go see the Pope’s body once the lying in state begins?

    “No. Let him rest in peace,” Luigi says. “It’s for the people of Italy to go see him,” Charmaine adds.

    They both say the wealth of languages spoken in the square today was something to behold. “It’s the whole world united here today, it’s unusual and beautiful,” Charmaine says.

  10. Clergy members pay tribute to Pope after short service

    Members of the Swiss Guard are standing next to the coffin of the late Pope, as hymns are being sung by a choir at St Peter's Basilica.

    Cardinals and other members of the clergy attending the service are now paying their tributes to the late pontiff before the Basilica is opened to the public.

    A wide-shot showing members of the Swiss Guard stand next to the coffin of Pope Francis.Reuters
    Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrell seated inside the churchReuters
    Cardinals queueing up in front of Pope Francis's coffin as they pay their tribute inside St Peter's BasilicaGetty Images

    Cardinals and other members of the clergy are now paying their tributes

  11. Pope's body to lie in state until Saturday's funeral

    From today until his funeral on 26 April, the Pope will lie in state inside the iconic St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican for a period of public mourning.

    Take a look at our graphic below to get a sense of the space in which mourners will be invited to pay their respects:

    Composite image graphic. The top picture is an aerial shot of St Peter's Basilica and St Peter's Square in the Vatican, the bottom is inside the basilica, showing where the Pope's coffin will be laid in front of the cathedral's alter the alter
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  12. In pictures: Pope transported to St Peter's Square in solemn procession

    The Pope's coffin is now inside St Peter's Basilica and there it will remain lying in state until the funeral on 26 April.

    The procession lasted a little under 40 minutes, and saw the body being moved from Casa Santa Marta, where Francis died on Monday, through St Peter's Square and the crowds of worshippers waiting to pay their final respects.

    Aerial shot of Pope's coffin being transported into the basilicaReuters
    Closer shot of the coffinReuters
    Shot from behind showing procession entering the basilicaReuters
    Coffin inside the basilicaGetty Images

  13. Hundreds join crowds in the square within the last 30 minutes

    Laura Gozzi
    Reporting from Vatican City

    Crowds observe the passage of Pope Francis's coffin in St Peter's SquareReuters

    In the last half hour the square has filled up a lot - hundreds of people have come in and are watching the images from inside the Basilica on the giant screen outside.

    Many will undoubtedly now flock inside St Peter’s Square to see the Pope’s body from much closer.

    Our previous post had details on when the Basilica will be open for the public to pay respects.

  14. Pope's body is 'as he died', biographer says

    Coffin of Pope Francis lays at the centre of the apse of St Peter's Basilica, two Swiss Guards guarding it from the top, clerics in black vestments stand to the side holding long ceremonial candlesReuters

    Pope Francis's body is now inside St Peter's Basilica, where he will be lying in state until his funeral on Saturday.

    Austen Ivereigh, Pope Francis's biographer, tells BBC News that coins minted during his pontificate - one for each year of his tenure - will have been placed in a bag in the coffin.

    The bodies of popes used to be embalmed in the past, but that's not mandatory nowadays, Ivereigh explains.

    The biographer says something will have been done to the Pope's body to help delay the process of decomposition, but other than that "he is as he died".

    Yesterday, the Vatican released several photographs of the Pope lying in an open coffin in his former residence, the BBC looked at the symbolism on show in the images.

  15. Pope's coffin carried into St Peter's Basilica
    Breaking

    Coffin carried into basilicaReuters

    The body of Pope Francis has now entered St Peter's Basilica after being carried across St Peter's Square.

    There will be a prayer service before the public is allowed to enter to pay their final respects to the late pontiff.

  16. Elderly cardinals waiting in St Peter's Basilica

    As the procession reaches its final stages, we're getting pictures of some elderly cardinals already inside St Peter's Basilica waiting for Pope Francis's coffin to be placed inside.

    Cardinal Walter Brandmuller inside St Peter's Basilica as the Pope's body is being transported to the siteReuters

    Cardinal Walter Brandmuller inside St Peter's Basilica as the Pope's body is being transported to the site

    Cardinal Camillo Ruini arrives at St Peter's Basilica in a wheelchairReuters

    Cardinal Camillo Ruini arrives at St Peter's Basilica

  17. Pope Francis's coffin greeted by applause

    coffin arriving at the squareReuters

    The procession from Pope Francis's residence at Casa Santa Marta is approaching its close as the late pontiff's body has arrived at St Peter's Square.

    As the coffin passed, worshippers waiting to pay their final respects applauded. Our correspondent Laura Gozzi, who's in the square, tells us St Peter's bells are still ringing.

    The body will now be taken inside St Peter's Basilica and a service will be held before the public is allowed to enter to say a final goodbye.

  18. Pope's coffin transported across St Peter's Square

    Laura Gozzi
    Reporting from Vatican City

    A steady stream of white-clad priests at the end of this roped area signals that the Pope’s coffin is being transported across the square now, to the Basilica.

    Vatican guards are standing at attention.

    Pope Francis's coffin is being shown on the giant screens set up around the square.

    Cardinals are also streaming in, all dressed in red.

    Priests arriving at the squareLaura Gozzi/ BBC
    Priests arriving at the squareLaura Gozzi/ BBC
    Screen showing pope's coffinLaura Gozzi/ BBC

  19. Church bells ringing solemnly as Pope Francis's coffin approaches

    Laura Gozzi
    Reporting from Vatican City

    Front of St Peter's Basilica in Vatican City as Pope's coffin approaches, worshippers stand in frontLaura Gozzi/ BBC

    I’m on a sunlit St Peter’s Square, where the church bells are ringing solemnly as a giant screen shows the Pope’s coffin being transported from Casa Santa Marta, where he died, to the the Basilica where people will be able to come pay their respects over the next few days.

    Hymns are being played out on giant speakers, adding to the atmosphere of this centuries-old square which today more than any other day feels like the centre of the Catholic world.

  20. Procession begins towards St Peter's Basilica

    Cardinals, dressed in red, walk in pairs as part of the procession. The crowds can be seen in the foreground partly blurredReuters

    After that blessing and prayer, the procession begins towards Saint Peter's Basilica.

    It is being led by Camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who Pope Francis nominated for the role in 2019.

    As camerlengo, Cardinal Farrell will be tasked with making arrangements for the conclave, the process through which the next pontiff is selected.