ROME — Over 250,000 mourners from around the world passed through St. Peter’s Basilica this week to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, a man often described as the most humble and human pontiff of the modern era. The solemn viewing spanned three days, drawing ordinary people, dignitaries, and world leaders alike.
A Historic Farewell
The open-casket vigil, which ended Friday, marked the beginning of Pope Francis’ final journey — one that will conclude not within Vatican walls but in a modest basilica across the city, chosen for its simplicity and symbolism.
Francis died Monday at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke. Despite his towering global influence, his final days and posthumous arrangements remained strikingly true to his character: austere, people-focused, and free of grandeur.
He lay in state in a simple wooden coffin, clothed in red papal vestments, his well-worn black shoes peeking out — the scuff marks still visible. A rosary was clasped in his hands, and the humility of his presentation stood in stark contrast to the elaborate funerals of many predecessors.
A Global Gathering, a Local Loss
Among the 164 official delegations expected for the funeral are 54 heads of state and 12 reigning monarchs, including U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Argentine President Javier Milei. But for many in Rome, the most poignant image will be of ordinary mourners — nuns, neighbors, elderly widows — shuffling quietly past his coffin to say goodbye.
The Vatican even extended viewing hours overnight to accommodate the overwhelming crowd. Sister Angele Bilegue, a nun who visited three times, described Francis as a personal friend. “He was my friend, so I went one last time to say goodbye,” she said. “I cried.”
Closing the Chapter
The closing ritual on Friday was led by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who presides as camerlengo — the interim Vatican administrator. The ceremony included placing a white cloth over the pope’s face and sealing a bag of coins minted during his papacy alongside a document called a rogito, which detailed his life story.
That one-page document, placed in the coffin, captured everything from his upbringing in Argentina to his papal encyclicals and his deeply personal style of ministry. It recalled how he traveled by subway and cooked his own meals — gestures that helped define his papacy as one grounded in humility.
“He lived in an apartment and prepared dinner alone, so he could feel like an ordinary person,” the rogito stated.
Echoes of Humanity
The death of Pope Francis has evoked a wide range of emotions, not just among devout Catholics but even among those who had once kept him at arm’s length.
Aurelia Ballarini, 72, a resident of Rome, considered Francis a daily presence in her life. “He gave everything, gave all of himself, up to the end,” she said. “I spent the last two days crying… One day, we will see each other again.”
Her friend, 78-year-old Francesca Codato, admitted she had once rejected Francis due to her loyalty to St. John Paul II. But in recent days, watching videos of Francis’ simple and compassionate life changed her heart. “I came to ask forgiveness, because I feel guilty towards him, like a worm,” she said tearfully.
Symbolism in Simplicity
Francis chose not to be buried alongside his papal predecessors in St. Peter’s but rather at a small basilica outside the Vatican — a location reflecting his lifelong affinity for the marginalized. In keeping with this sentiment, the group accompanying his casket to that site includes not just clergy or politicians but members of the poor and vulnerable communities he served and championed.
The pope’s funeral in St. Peter’s Square is expected to draw millions more — in person, on screens, and across faiths and nations. Yet as the basilica doors close and the bells toll, it is the quiet testimonies of everyday people, not the grandeur, that will define this moment in history.
