Authorities said 140,000 had lined the streets, clapping and waving as the hearse – a repurposed white popemobile – crossed the Tiber river and drove past some of Rome's most recognisable sights: the Colosseum, the Forum and the Altare della Patria national monument on Piazza Venezia.

The faithful will be flocking to Rome to honor the death of Pope Francis, with his funeral scheduled for Saturday April 26. While the city is heavily booked out, there are still ways to visit affordably.

Faithful queue to see the tomb of Pope Francis on the first day of its opening to the public in Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, on April 27, 2025 in Rome, Italy. Funeral rites for