A story in photos: Faithful join line to pay final respects to Pope Francis
Nuns leave after entering the St. Peter's Basilica to pay their respects to Pope Francis lying in state, at the Vatican, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
People look at booklets as they wait in line to view Pope Francis lying in state inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
People line up as they enter St. Peter's Basilica to pay their respects to Pope Francis lying in state, at the Vatican, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Faithful wait in line under the rain to view Pope Francis lying in state inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican,Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
People walk to enter St. Peter's Basilica to pay their respects to Pope Francis lying in state, at the Vatican, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
People line up as they enter St. Peter's Basilica to pay their respects to Pope Francis lying in state, at the Vatican, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Nuns leave after entering the St. Peter's Basilica to pay their respects to Pope Francis lying in state, at the Vatican, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
People look at booklets as they wait in line to view Pope Francis lying in state inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
People line up as they enter St. Peter's Basilica to pay their respects to Pope Francis lying in state, at the Vatican, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Faithful wait in line under the rain to view Pope Francis lying in state inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican,Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
People walk to enter St. Peter's Basilica to pay their respects to Pope Francis lying in state, at the Vatican, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
People line up as they enter St. Peter's Basilica to pay their respects to Pope Francis lying in state, at the Vatican, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
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VATICAN CITY (AP) -- So many mourners lined up to see Pope Francis lying in state in a simple wooden coffin inside St. Peter's Basilica that the Vatican kept the doors open all night to accommodate the higher-than-expected turnout.
The basilica, which was closed for just an hour Thursday morning for cleaning, is bathed in a hushed silence as mourners from across the globe make a slow, shuffling procession up the main aisle to pay their last respects to Francis, who died Monday after a stroke.
The hours spent in the long line along the stately via della Conciliazione through St. Peter's Square and through the Holy Door into the basilica have allowed mourners to find community.