Mourners waiting in line to view the body of Pope Francis as he lies in state inside St. Peter’s Basilica are complaining about the number of people taking selfies.
The Bishop of Rome passed away on Monday morning, as the Vatican announced, following a prolonged period of poor health. Pope Francis was 88 years old at the time of his death.
Vatican officials released photos of Francis in his velvet-lined coffin on Tuesday. The Holy Father is laid out wearing a red robe with the papal mitre on his head and a rosary intertwined in his hands.
“What did surprise me is the fact that earlier we were told no photos in the Sistine Chapel and here people were getting their phone out and doing selfies with the coffin,” one mourner told the Daily Mail. “I did think that was a bit in poor taste and I’m surprised no one stopped them.”
“I was very moved coming so close to Pope Francis, but it was awful seeing so many people taking pictures,” another person told The Sun.
“I found the mobile phones very distasteful,” another mourner said. “I was very surprised there were photos.”
While photos of the deceased pope are not technically prohibited, many of the thousands of mourners are saying the practice of taking selfies with cell phones or even using selfie sticks is in poor taste. Visitors to St. Peter’s Basilica said sometimes security intervened to stop the photo takers, but other times they did not.
The last time a pope died in office was Pope John Paul II in 2005, before selfies and cell phone cameras were commonplace. The pope who served before Francis, Pope Benedict, resigned voluntarily in 2013 due to stated reasons of advanced age and declining health. He died in 2022.
The Vatican stated that around 50,000 people have lined up to view the body of Pope Francis. They are standing in line for up to eight hours to get a chance to see the Holy Father before his burial this weekend.
Large crowds are expected on Saturday for Pope Francis’ funeral in St. Peter’s Square. Some famous attendees are expected to include President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Prince William, heir to the British throne.
Per the late pope’s wishes, Francis will be buried at the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome, which is a departure from tradition. Popes have typically been laid to rest in the crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica, but the late pope opted to be interred at St. Mary Major due to the “very strong” connection he had there.
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[[{“value”:”
Mourners waiting in line to view the body of Pope Francis as he lies in state inside St. Peter’s Basilica are complaining about the number of people taking selfies.
The Bishop of Rome passed away on Monday morning, as the Vatican announced, following a prolonged period of poor health. Pope Francis was 88 years old at the time of his death.
Vatican officials released photos of Francis in his velvet-lined coffin on Tuesday. The Holy Father is laid out wearing a red robe with the papal mitre on his head and a rosary intertwined in his hands.
“What did surprise me is the fact that earlier we were told no photos in the Sistine Chapel and here people were getting their phone out and doing selfies with the coffin,” one mourner told the Daily Mail. “I did think that was a bit in poor taste and I’m surprised no one stopped them.”
“I was very moved coming so close to Pope Francis, but it was awful seeing so many people taking pictures,” another person told The Sun.
“I found the mobile phones very distasteful,” another mourner said. “I was very surprised there were photos.”
While photos of the deceased pope are not technically prohibited, many of the thousands of mourners are saying the practice of taking selfies with cell phones or even using selfie sticks is in poor taste. Visitors to St. Peter’s Basilica said sometimes security intervened to stop the photo takers, but other times they did not.
The last time a pope died in office was Pope John Paul II in 2005, before selfies and cell phone cameras were commonplace. The pope who served before Francis, Pope Benedict, resigned voluntarily in 2013 due to stated reasons of advanced age and declining health. He died in 2022.
The Vatican stated that around 50,000 people have lined up to view the body of Pope Francis. They are standing in line for up to eight hours to get a chance to see the Holy Father before his burial this weekend.
Large crowds are expected on Saturday for Pope Francis’ funeral in St. Peter’s Square. Some famous attendees are expected to include President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Prince William, heir to the British throne.
Per the late pope’s wishes, Francis will be buried at the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome, which is a departure from tradition. Popes have typically been laid to rest in the crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica, but the late pope opted to be interred at St. Mary Major due to the “very strong” connection he had there.
“}]]
