Before the funeral on Saturday, the coffin of Pope Francis was sealed in the Saint-Pierre basilica on Friday evening.
The three -day viewing period ended around 7 p.m., reported with a change of guards to the open coffin of the pontiff.
Thousands of people had aligned themselves to see the pope lying in the state, and the Vatican had extended the opening hours of the basilica, welcoming visitors to pay tribute throughout the night due to the participation higher than expected. The Basilica of St Peter closed its doors for an hour and a half Thursday morning for cleaning.
The Vatican said that more than 90,000 people had paid tribute Thursday evening.
He was buried with his well -used black shoes, including brands scratched on the toe – emblematic of his simple life.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell presided over the closure and sealing of the coffin in his role as Camerlengo, or temporary administrator of the Vatican.
Before the coffin was sealed, he placed a white fabric on the pope's face, and a bag containing pieces struck during its papacy was placed in the coffin with a written account of a page of its papacy.
The story, called Rogito, sums up the story of all his life, of his childhood in Argentina through his priesthood and his promotions at the Archbishop and the Cardinal in Buenos Aires – then the Pope. This highlighted his “defense of innocent”, his encyclicals and also his diseases.
“He was a simple pastor and much appreciated by his archdiocese, who traveled far, also by metro and bus,” reads the text of the document, telling his life as an archbishop.
“He lived in an apartment and he prepared dinner alone, so that he could feel like an ordinary person.”
