Sawt Falasteen - Crowds bid farewell to Pope Francis in first day of lying in state

Pilgrims and tourists queued for hours to file past the open coffin of the Argentine pontiff, who died on Monday aged 88.

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

"It felt really good to be in there," she told AFP.

By 7:45 pm (1745 GMT), almost nine hours after the doors of the basilica opened to the public, more than 19,400 people had paid their respects, the Vatican said.

Simonetta Marini, a 67-year-old from Rome, praised Francis's human touch and defence of the world's underdogs, which helped steer the Catholic Church towards a more inclusive, compassionate path.

"I came to say a last goodbye to a great man. He stood for the people," Marini said.

Francis was an energetic reformer who took over as leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics in 2013.

His death, after a stroke and heart failure, came nearly a month after he left hospital where he spent five weeks being treated for pneumonia.

Dressed in his papal vestments -- a red chasuble, white mitre and black shoes -- and with a rosary laced between his fingers, the pope's body has been laid out in a red-lined wooden coffin.

For three days, it will rest on a low bier before the Altar of the Confession underneath the basilica's soaring dome painted by Michelangelo. His funeral is on Saturday.

The public viewing continued until midnight Wednesday, then from 7:00am to midnight on Thursday and 7:00am to 7:00pm on Friday. The Vatican said the hours could be extended.

- Procession of cardinals -

Vincenza Nocilla, a 67-year-old retired nurse, left her home in Formia, south of Rome, at 4:00 am to be among the first to see the pontiff.

She said it was "really moving" but noted, however, that "they don't let you stay long, you walk by, say a quick goodbye and go".

An Irish couple said it was a "priority" to see Francis while on holiday in Rome, and hailed his efforts to tackle clerical sexual abuse.

"He was a great man, a great advocate for the poor, the underprivileged and those who suffered at the hands of his flock," said Cliodhna Devlin.

Hours before, a procession of cardinals, clergy and Swiss Guards escorted Francis's coffin from the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, where he lived during his 12-year papacy, to St Peter's, as the basilica's bells tolled.

Scores of world leaders and dignitaries will attend the funeral, including US President Donald Trump, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, Argentine President Javier Milei and Spain's royal couple.

Up to 170 foreign delegations are expected, the interior ministry said.

- Security operation -

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni paid tribute at a special joint session of parliament in Rome, before going to pay her own respects at St Peter's.

She described Francis as a "determined" man who nevertheless made others feel at ease.

"With him you could talk about everything. You could open up, and tell your story without filters or fear of being judged," she said.

After the funeral, Francis's coffin will be taken to his favourite church, Rome's papal basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where it will be interred in the ground and marked by a simple inscription: Franciscus.

Authorities have ramped up security for the funeral. The weekend is already due to be busy because of a public holiday Friday.

A spokesman for Italy's civil protection unit, Pierfrancesco Demilito, told AFP it was impossible to predict the expected crowds, but estimated "several hundred thousand at least".

- Third meeting Thursday -

After the funeral, all eyes will turn to the process to choose Francis's successor.

Cardinals from around the world are returning to Rome for the conclave, which should begin no less than 15 days and no more than 20 after a pope's death.

Only those under the age of 80 are eligible to vote.

Cardinals have already met twice, in so-called general congregations -- the first time on Tuesday, when they set the funeral date, and again on Wednesday.

Some 103 cardinals out of 252 attended Wednesday's meeting, the Vatican said. Only 135 are eligible to vote in the conclave.

They agreed a plan for the traditional nine days of mourning for the pope, the so-called "novemdiales", which will run from Saturday until May 4.

Another meeting was set for Thursday at 9:00am (0700 GMT), but the Vatican has brushed aside hopes of an announcement of the conclave date, insisting the focus is on the funeral.

At the time of his death, Francis was under doctors' orders to rest for two months. But the headstrong pope continued to make public appearances despite appearing tired and short of breath.

On Easter Sunday, he circled St Peter's Square in his popemobile to greet crowds, stopping to kiss babies along the way.

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J.AbuHassan--SF-PST