Pope Francis's body lay in state in St. Peter's Basilica, drawing over 150,000 visitors from Wednesday to Friday. This surge in attendance reflects both his popularity and the impact of his papacy, which focused on marginalized communities. Pope Francis, a defender of refugees, notably made a pastoral visit to Lampedusa shortly after his papacy began, symbolizing his commitment to the underserved. The Vatican shared these figures alongside images of the thousands of visitors honoring the late leader.
In what would be described as a spur-of-the-moment decision, Francis elected to visit the island in the wake of migrant deaths in a fatal crossing.
People line up in front of the coffin of the late Pope Francis in St Peter's Basilica on Friday.
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