Large crowds gathered at St. Peter’s Basilica, with many waiting for hours to pay their final tributes to Pope Francis, who was lying in state before his funeral.
While I intended to cover the event from a distance, I couldn’t resist joining the line of mourners. It was a public holiday in Italy, and the scene was filled with locals, tourists, and pilgrims all united in their sorrow.
Languages filled the air – Italian, Spanish, English – alongside nuns in their traditional attire, elderly individuals in wheelchairs, and energetic youth groups sporting matching shirts and bags.
Despite the heavy police presence, the atmosphere was remarkably amicable. People weaved through the crowd, but there was little complaining, as everyone recognized the solemnity of the occasion.
In that moment, it didn’t matter if I was a reporter or simply a member of the crowd; the shared respect for Pope Francis brought us all together in a powerful tribute.
