At least 250,000 people have entered St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican in recent days to pay their last respects to Pope Francis.
This was announced by the Vatican press office as everything in Rome is ready for the Holy Father's funeral on Saturday morning.
At least 200,000 believers will be in St. Peter's Square to participate in the ceremony, and they will be joined by all the people along the route of the funeral procession, to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where the burial will take place.
For the journey from St. Peter's to Santa Maria Maggiore, Francis' coffin will take just over an hour, moving at a walking pace, between 5 and 10 km per hour. The funeral procession will consist of several cars, with several cardinals and relatives.
The flow of people into the capital will continue in the coming days and Santa Maria Maggiore will remain open from Sunday to allow everyone to pay homage to the Holy Father.
The rite of closing the coffin will be presided over by Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, as provided for in the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis. This is a rite that takes place in St. Peter's in a strictly private manner, without cameras and without the faithful.
The coffin will then lie in state in the Basilica throughout the night. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside over the funeral at 10:00 a.m. in St. Peter's Square. (A2 Televizion)
A2 CNN Livestream
MUND TE LEXONI GJITHASHTU
