Mourners bid farewell to Pope as he lies in state

Tens of thousands of mourners queued to say their last goodbyes to Pope Francis at St Peter's Basilica Wednesday, as the body of the late Argentine pontiff began three days of lying in state.

- Agence France-Presse

By the afternoon, the wait to enter the church was more than four hours, as the long line of pilgrims and tourists wishing to pass by the pontiff’s open coffin circled the vast St Peter's Square.

“We wanted to say thank you to one of the most humble popes,” said Portuguese medical student Francisca Antunes, 21, after leaving the basilica with a friend.

“It felt really good to be in there,” she told reporters.

Roman pensioner Simonetta Marini, 67, said the crowds attested to widespread admiration for Francis, whose human touch and defence of the world’s underdogs helped steer the Catholic Church towards a more inclusive, compassionate path.