Thousands bid farewell to Pope Francis as he lies in state

TENS of thousands of mourners flocked to St Peter's Basilica on Wednesday, paying their final respects to the late Pope Francis, whose body began lying in state in the revered church.

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As the mourners lined up to bid farewell, the waits grew to over four hours, underlining the deep admiration for the Argentine pontiff, who offered a new vision for the Catholic Church during his papacy.

By midday, the long queue of pilgrims and tourists snaked throughout St Peter’s Square, all eager to pay homage to the pope's open coffin.

"We wanted to say thank you to one of the most humble popes," said 21-year-old Portuguese medical student Francisca Antunes, leaving the basilica alongside a friend. "It felt really good to be in there."