VATICAN CITY — Alba Socola, a nun from Peru, found herself waiting in line for nearly five hours with thousands of other Catholics on Wednesday, all eager to enter St. Peter’s Basilica for a last farewell to Pope Francis. She expressed that this long wait was a small price for such an important moment of prayer.
“It’s akin to praying for our church and seeking the Lord’s guidance through the pope’s intercession,” stated the 27-year-old as she joined the queue to enter the basilica.
Large crowds began to gather as the first of three scheduled days commenced for public viewing of the late pope’s body before his funeral on Saturday. Due to the overwhelming number of mourners, the Vatican considered extending the basilica’s visiting hours past midnight.
Socola highlighted how Pope Francis always advocated for young people to take on a more active role in the church. Standing before the pope’s coffin, she felt it was a powerful moment to pray for the entire Catholic community and earnestly wish for peace globally.
“Being there was truly exhilarating. What matters most is the invitation to immerse oneself in prayer and silence,” she observed, shortly before she and other nuns were photographed together as they left St. Peter’s Square.
Pope Francis passed away on Monday at the age of 88, concluding a 12-year papacy marked by his emphasis on supporting the underprivileged and fostering inclusivity. Nevertheless, his tenure wasn’t without its critics; some conservatives felt marginalized by his progressive outlook.