Filipinos join thousands in queue to see Pope Francis' remains

As Pope Francis is set to be laid to rest on Saturday, thousands of Catholics braved the cold weather and endured the long queue to see the Supreme Pontiff one last time.

GMA Integrated News' anchor Vicky Morales joined thousands of people from all over the world in lining up for the last viewing day of Pope Francis' remains.

While in queue, Morales met people who came from different parts of Europe like Italy and Austria, and spoke with Filipinos and Filipino priests who wanted to pay their last respects to Pope Francis.

A group of students even offered a song for the late pope at St. Peter's Square.

According to Morales' report, mourners were told that the viewing will end by midnight, but they were allowed to see Pope Francis in his open coffin at the main altar of St. Peter's Basilica up until past midnight.

Morales herself was able to go near the basilica's door at around 1:30 a.m. (Vatican time) on Friday.

Mourners who were able to enter St. Peter Basilica quietly passed by the pontiff's coffin, whispering their prayers for Pope Francis.

"Iba 'yung experience. Handa kang maghintay kasi alam mong napaka-precious nitong sandaling ito na makita mo sa huling sandali si Pope Francis," Filipino priest Fr. Randy de Jesus said in her interview with Morales.

(It's a different experience. We're willing to wait because we all know how precious this moment is to see Pope Francis one last time.)

Another Filipino priest, Fr. Dante Daylusan, who was also in Vatican City during Pope John Paul II's wake, observed that many young Catholics have paid their last respects for Pope Francis.

"Unang-unang mapapansin mo, mas maraming kabataan… at nataon ngayon, itong taon na ito ay jubilee, maraming activity 'yung youth at nagbago ang set up ng Vatican. Sobrang hirap na pumunta dito," Daylusan said.

(First, you will notice that there are many youths here... incidentally, in this jubilee year, many youth activities have been lined up and the set up here in the Vatican has changed. It's so hard to come here.)

Preparations are ongoing for the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday. World leaders are expected to arrive and attend the funeral rites, including Philippine President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and his wife, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.

On Monday, the Vatican announced the passing of Pope Francis. He was 88 and had a serious bout of double pneumonia. According to the death certificate issued by Vatican doctor Andrea Arcangeli, Pope Francis died of a stroke and irreversible heart failure.

Born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis was elected Supreme Pontiff on March 13, 2013. He became the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit to hold the position.

Pope Francis, fondly called Lolo Kiko by Filipinos, visited the Philippines in 2015.

He celebrated Mass at the Manila Cathedral as well as in the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas.

The Pontiff also held an outdoor Mass in Tacloban City in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda, despite strong rains and powerful winds brought about by an approaching storm.

In his will drafted in 2022, Pope Francis asked to be buried in a simple, unadorned tomb inside his beloved Roman basilica, Santa Maria Maggiore. It was this basilica where Pope Francis prayed before and after every trip he took as pontiff.

The funeral service for Pope Francis will be held on Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m. Vatican time in St. Peter's Square, in the shadow of the Basilica. — VDV, GMA Integrated News