More than 20,000 faithful have come to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore to pay homage to Pope Francis, who was buried inside yesterday. Doors open from 7: there are families, groups of pilgrims and religious. Hundreds have been waiting since dawn, with the numbers of those present increasing as the hours pass.

The crowd bath for Pope Francis was recorded yesterday, with over 400,000 participants at the funeral: 250,000 in the square of St. Peter's Basilica, the remaining 150,000 in the 6 km route of the funeral procession . A sober ceremony, with the touching homily of Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re and the presence of the main world leaders, from Donald Trump to Volodymyr Zelensky ( protagonists of a face to face ) to Emmanuel Macron and Giorgia Meloni.

Yesterday was a day that saw an impressive display of forces: the organizational and security machine worked . "I think that Pope Francis is a saint. Whether he is recognized depends on many factors but I hope so," said Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi in an interview with the newspaper La Repubblica.

Now the question of Pope Francis' successor opens up . Waiting for the conclave, with the legacy of the Holy Father that will be defined (perhaps) in the short term. And with a doubt linked to the presence of the Sardinian cardinal Angelo Becciu .

(Online Union)

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