From today, in the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome, the veneration of the mortal remains of Pope Francis begins, BNR reported.
The basilica will open its doors at 11:00 a.m. local time until midnight, on Thursday from 7:00 a.m. until midnight, and on Friday only from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., because the funeral is on Saturday at 10:00 a.m.
Rome is preparing for the huge influx of over 200,000 worshipers and those wishing to bow before the coffin of Pope Francis, as well as to attend the The funeral. They will be assisted by 3,000 volunteers. 170 delegations are expected, led by heads of state and government. On the streets and squares adjacent to “St. Peter“ Square, where Pope Francis' funeral will take place, there will be video walls to facilitate all those wishing to attend the event in a tangible way.
A five-day mourning period has been declared in Italy since yesterday. Therefore, the “Serie A“ football matches will not be played on Saturday. They have been moved to Sunday and Monday. The great Italian pop and hip-hop singer Giovannotti dedicated his concert in Rome to Pope Francis with the words: “Everything is born to bloom, so said a priest. A priest from the suburbs, his name was Francesco”.