10 h. ago Pope Francis mourners BANNED from taking pictures after outrageous behaviour

Mourners seeing Pope Francis lying in state have been banned from taking pictures after thousands of people held phones aloft while paying their respects to the pontiff at St Peter's Basilica

Events

10 h. ago The Guardian view on the coming papal conclave: Catholics at a crossroads | Editorial

Pope Francis’s progressive legacy rests in the hands of cardinal electors who will be juggling competing agendasIn keeping with the humble style of his papacy, Pope Francis did his best to dial down the pomp and ceremony that would mark his passing. In St Peter’s Basilica, where he now lies in state, Francis’s body rests in an unelaborate coffin and has not been placed on the traditional elevated bier. The tomb in which he will be buried is to be underground and unadorned, carrying only the plain inscription “Franciscus”, again on his instructions.The final grace notes of a remarkable papacy will add to the pathos of Saturday’s funeral, which hundreds of thousands of mourners are expected to attend. The Argentinian pope’s plain, direct style endeared him to millions of non-Catholics as well as to the faithful. But the ecclesiastical politics of what happens next, in a divided church, will be anything but straightforward. Continue reading...

Politics

13 h. ago Pope Francis: thousands more pay respects on second day of lying in state

More than 60,000 people have viewed body of late pontiff since Wednesday morning, says VaticanThousands of mourners lined up for hours on a second day to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis’s body, after St Peter’s Basilica stayed open all night to cope with the huge crowds who had come to pay their final respects.The 16th-century basilica, where Francis’s simple wooden coffin is placed on the main altar, was scheduled to close at midnight on Wednesday but remained open until 5.30am to allow in those who still wished to enter. After just 90 minutes of cleaning, it was reopened at 7am. Continue reading...

Politics

14 h. ago Pope Francis latest: Outrage over mourners taking selfies with casket as thousands pay respects at the Vatican

Pope Francis’ funeral will be held on Saturday with world leaders in attendance

Economics

16 h. ago Inside 'Ring of Steel' around Pope's funeral as Vatican guards wield anti

Pope Francis I is well-protected as he lies in state at the altar of St Peter's Basilica, with Italian and Vatican authorities boasting an arsenal of high-spec weaponry

Politics

16 h. ago Married couple who met during papal visit 40 years ago describe 'surreal' moment they saw Pope Francis' remains

The retired pair from Ireland were among some 20,000 people who queued to pay their respects overnight

Politics

18 h. ago Pope Francis: basilica stays open overnight so thousands can pay final respects

More than 50,000 people, queuing for hours, viewed body of late pontiff over 24-hour period, says VaticanSt Peter’s Basilica has reopened for thousands of people to pay their final respects to Pope Francis for a second day, following a brief pause after keeping its doors open all night.The 16th-century basilica, where Francis’s simple wooden coffin is placed on the main altar, was scheduled to close at midnight but remained open until 5.30am to allow in those who still wished to enter. Continue reading...

Politics

18 h. ago Fury at 'disrespectful' mourners taking selfies with the Pope's corpse as the faithful queue for eight hours to pay respects

After passing away aged 88 on Easter Monday, Francis' body has been carried into Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City for the three-day lying-in-state ritual.

Politics

19 h. ago AP PHOTOS: Faithful join the line to pay their final respects to Pope Francis

So many mourners lined up to see Pope Francis lying in state in a simple wooden coffin inside St. Peter’s Basilica that the Vatican kept the doors open all night to accommodate the higher-than-expected turnout.

Culture

21 h. ago Faithful queue around the clock to see the Pope: Vatican abandons plans to close St Peter's Basilica overnight as 20,000

Some 19,430 people had been to St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City 'to pay homage to Pope Francis' less than 12 hours after his coffin was transferred there.

Culture

21 h. ago Pope Francis latest: Vatican keeps St Peter’s Basilica open all night as thousands flock to pay respects

Pope Francis’ funeral will be held on Saturday with world leaders in attendance

Economics

21 h. ago Pope Francis death: Mourners tell of 'momentous' occasion as St Peter's Basilica stays open overnight for thousands to pay respect

St Peter’s Basilica remained open throughout the night to allow more people to pay their respects to Pope Francis

Events

22 h. ago Pope Francis latest: Vatican says it could extend viewing hours as thousands flock to pay final respects

Pope Francis’ funeral will be held on Saturday with world leaders in attendance

Economics

33 h. ago Pope Francis death: Crowds take ghoulish snaps of pontiff lying in state in sea of phones

Huge eight-hour queues are building up outside St Peter's Basilica to see Pope Francis lying in state - and some mourners have been taking photographs of his body once they are inside the church

Events

35 h. ago AP PHOTOS: Iconic images of Pope Francis' procession captured by AP photographer

Emilio Morenatti, chief photographer in Spain for The Associated Press, arrived in St. Peter’s Square before sunrise to wait for Pope Francis’ casket to pass through the crowd and into St. Peter’s Basilica

Culture

35 h. ago Thousands from around world wait hours to visit coffin of Pope Francis

Pope’s simple open casket lies on main altar of St Peter’s Basilica as mourners say: ‘It’s a privilege to be here’ Thousands of people queued for hours under the hot spring sun in St Peter’s Square on Wednesday to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, whose simple wooden coffin has been placed on the main altar of the 16th-century basilica, where he will lie in state until Friday evening.The pope, the head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, died at his home in Casa Santa Marta on Monday aged 88 after a stroke and subsequent heart failure. He had been recovering from double pneumonia, which had kept him in hospital for five weeks. Continue reading...

Politics

35 h. ago 'I saw Pope Francis' body and couldn't believe people were taking pictures on their phones'

Pope Francis' lying-in-state has been taken over by people holding up their smartphones in crowds as they try to capture the historic moment at St Peter's Basilica

Politics

37 h. ago Watch live: Pope Francis’ coffin lies in St Peter’s Basilica for public viewing

Watch live as Pope Francis’ coffin lies in state in St. Peter's Basilica for public viewings from Wednesday, 23 April.

Politics

38 h. ago Pope Francis death latest: 20,000 mourners gather at St Peter's Basilica to pay respects to late pontiff

The Pope died on Easter Monday aged 88

Events

38 h. ago Pope Francis latest: Tens of thousands of mourners view Pontiff’s open casket at St Peter’s Basilica

Crowds of pilgrims are expected to flock to the Vatican for Pope Francis’ funeral on Saturday

Politics