(25 Apr 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Vatican City – 25 April 2025
1. Police monitoring crowd outside Vatican gates
2. Mid of people taking photos behind gates
3. Various of police and crowds
4. SOUNDBITE (French) Blondine De Foujorux, faithful from Lyon:
"Today, it was complicated. We wanted to attend. In fact, there are so many people that it’s difficult. It’s too late. It’s closed. It’s a shame."
5. Police managing crowd trying to enter
6. Various of faithful inside St Peter’s Basilica paying their respects to Pope Francis
7. Wide exterior of dome of basilica
8. People walking with St Peter’s Basilica in background
STORYLINE:
Hundreds of mourners have been turned away from the Vatican as they tried to see the late Pope Francis after authorities closed the gates to St Peter’s Basilica earlier than expected due to overcrowding.
Authorities had earlier sent an alert to mobile phones saying access to the basilica would close at 5pm, but brought the timeframe forward by an hour after an unexpected surge in faithful queuing.
Tens of thousands of mourners waited hours in line over three days to bid farewell to Francis, who died Monday after suffering a stroke at the age of 88.
By noon on Friday, more than 150,000 people had filed past Francis’ open coffin placed in front of the basilica’s main altar to pay their respects — at times praying, at times holding smartphones aloft — despite instructions not to.
The late pontiff was laid out in red robes, a bishop’s pointed miter and a rosary entwined in his hands.
St. Peter’s Basilica remained open for two nights, closing for just a few hours at a time, to accommodate the higher-than-expected turnout.
After the public viewing ends, Francis’ simple wooden coffin will be sealed in a private moment.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell will preside over the closing and sealing of the coffin in his role of camerlengo, or interim Vatican administrator.
A white cloth will be placed over the pope’s face, and a bag containing coins minted during his papacy will be put in the coffin along with a one-page written account of his papacy.
AP video by Paolo Santalucia
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