Pope Francis's Passing: St. Peter's Basilica Stays Open for Mourners in Rome

Extended Basilica Hours for Mourners

• 🏛️ St. Peter's Basilica remained open past its scheduled midnight closing time to accommodate thousands of mourners.
• ⏰ The Basilica stayed open until 5:30 a.m. local time, allowing more people to pay their respects to the late Pope Francis.

Crowd Size and Funeral Preparations

• 🚶‍♀️ On the day of the report, lines were significantly shorter compared to the previous day.
• 📊 In a 24-hour period, approximately 50,000 people had passed through to see the Pope, with an average wait time of about 3 hours.
• 📈 Larger crowds are anticipated in the days leading up to the funeral, which is scheduled for tomorrow.

Details on Pope Francis's Final Moments

• 🩺 Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the Pope's surgeon, testified that he was called at 5:30 a.m. on Monday morning.
• 🏥 Upon arrival, the Pope was found with his eyes open and no respiratory difficulties, but was determined to be in a coma.
• 🧠 Doctors determined that the Pope had suffered a stroke that would lead to his death shortly thereafter, and decided against moving him to the hospital.

Broadcast Information

• 📺 Funeral coverage for Pope Francis will be broadcast on CBS News 24/7 and Paramount Plus starting at 4 a.m. Eastern.
• 🎙️ An interview with Pope Francis will stream an hour prior, at 3:00 a.m. Eastern on Saturday.