Faithful Mourn Pope Francis at St. Peter's

A hush reigned over the normally boisterous St. Peter's Square on Monday, as the faithful and the curious alike gathered at the seat of Catholicism to mark the death of Pope Francis.

- Agence France-Presse

VATICAN: A hush reigned over the normally boisterous St. Peter's Square on Monday, as the faithful and the curious alike gathered at the seat of Catholicism to mark the death of Pope Francis.

Catholic priests and nuns in groups of threes or fours bowed their heads to pray, twirling their rosaries under the midday sun just hours after the Vatican announced the 88-year-old pontiff's passing.

Even the groups of tourists who continued to enter the massive St. Peter's Basilica appeared quiet and downcast.

"He was the voice of the smallest, the weakest. And up until yesterday he was asking for peace in the world," Venezuelan seminarian Riccardo Vielma, 31, told AFP.

In the grand, pillar-lined plaza, the yellow and red tulips remained as did the rows of seats set up for Sunday's Easter mass, where Francis had saluted the public for the last time.

"I had to come"

"We're really all stunned because yesterday he was here; he did a full tour of the square (in his popemobile)," said Roy-ben Noris, also from Venezuela.

"It was such a great joy for everyone to see him again at St. Peter's Square," Noris added.