Silent Rome calculates the death of Pope Francis

The seat in the Vatican was vacant for two days when a group of gray nuns stood in Saint Peter Square and started singing.

Quietly at first and then with a higher voice, as if encouraging those who joined shy, the nuns stormed Ave Maria.

Often they mixed a few inches forward, following the waiting list of Pope Francis in the state. Throughout the singing, their faces turned into the Church of St. Peter to their left, their white veil shines under their large sun hats.

It was a suitable scene for an extraordinary week in which Rome seemed to restore its reputation as the “capital of the world” – and St. Peter’s Square as a center of the Catholic Constitution.

There is mourning, but also in recognition that the Pope, who lived up to 88 years, died quickly and peace. Many say: “At least he did not suffer.” However, this was not the time to celebrate as well – he will have to wait even after the funeral, when he provokes the usual side committee of excitement, conspiracy and speculation that is inevitable.

Before that, in Rome, these days were taken between their flavor.

Elena, a Romanian woman in her fifties, said that she had noticed an “component” atmosphere in the city. “There are large crowds, but I felt that everything was a little more calm, and there is something different in the air,” she said, believing that the Pope’s death was encouraging people to “look inside.”

She added that every person who spoke to him this week-even non-believers-distinguished his death in one way or another.

Her friend Lina agreed. She was standing behind her tobacco store in Borgo Pio, a quiet, graveling street lining with buildings in dirt tones and flower boxes near the Vatican. “It is not a week of tragedy and no one is celebrating,” she said. “It is an opportunity for people to think and think, and I think this is a lot.”

In the vicinity, people were slowly wandering through Dela Confeliseeon – Infantry Street that connects Italy and the Vatican State, and the same coffin Pope will travel on Saturday with his last place to rest in Basilica Santa Maria Magor.

The fourth century Church is only about 4 km away from the St. Peter’s, but the journey there is to take about two hours as the car that carries the coffin of the Pope will move at the pace of walking to allow people who slow down the streets to see it and say their farewell.

Two police officers admitted normally that the neighborhood was more preoccupied than usual, but “he felt as if it were Saturday”, and that people were very comfortable.

However, the signs of the huge security operation left by the Vatican and the Italian authorities were everywhere.

On Wednesday, a soldier stood outside a religious commodity store, waving the boduka -like train control devices. When asked whether it was possible, for example, the unmanned aircraft frequencies and forcing them to return to their bases, he answered in mysterious circumstances: “Perhaps, among other things.”

Next, a soldier’s colleague wiped the sky with perspectives. On the funeral day, thousands of security personnel from various police and armed forces will join them, as well as river patrol units, and dogs that emit bombs and snipers on the surface.

The American student Caislyn, who sat on a seat to draw the dome of St. Peter, said that she “shocked” her feeling safely despite the number of people.

The 21 -year -old attributed the fact that “people here to push their respect to Francis, and enjoy this beautiful city.” She described the atmosphere “sweet and passed”, but she said that she saw the funeral as a “celebration of life.”

“I gave such a great example of the world,” I remembered.

• You can watch and follow the funeral directly here on the BBC website and application. In the United Kingdom, there will be live coverage on the BBC one of 0830-1230 BST, which was presented by Rete Chakrabarti, available to see on iplayer. There will also be live coverage on BBC News channel It was presented by Maryam Machiri. Finally, you can also follow the funeral On BBC World Service

Caislyn also recalled Francis’s commitment to the poorest of society, many others referred to the last known journey outside the Vatican on Thursday, when he visited prisoners in Regeina Cole Prison, as he did several times before.

“He was close to people,” Elina said, adding that she understood why “he could not get away” from helping these worst.

She said: “I work as a volunteer for people who have no shelter, and every time I try to stop, something pulls me. Why? Because I lived like them for three months, because I came from poverty as well. It is not difficult for me to feel near them.”

“I think it was the same for Francis,” said Francis, the comments of the sister of Francis Maria Elena, who told the Italian media last month that she and her brothers arose in poverty in Argentina.

Elena added: “He never forgot where he was. Even when he reached the highest role, he was not allowed to change it,” Elena added.

For the Belgian tourists Dirk, whose wife was on the waiting list to see the Pope lying in the state in the basilica, the bleak weather since the death of the Pope is something “attracts people in it, it is something they want to be part of.”

He laughed, saying, “It might be temporary, so it is likely to end on Monday.”

Dry, note the number of people who have no shelter – often give – people around the Vatican. “I have seen a woman who was almost walking, and people ignored her with clothes completely from the clergy, in fact they looked at the other direction so that they should not face him,” he said.

“Therefore, it is still horrific, and the wealth of these churches around us and the poverty of people sleeping on the threshold of their doors.” He shook his head. “The contradiction is the exchange for me.”

Katlio – an optimistic young woman from Lesoto – BBC that she felt “special and happy” when she received Easter grace, Pope Francis, the day before his death, when he appeared on the balcony of St. Peter. “I thought: I’m a real Catholic now!” I laughed.

She said she felt “very proud to join many people” who were paying their respect for Pope Francis this week. “It is a real common experience, it is very wonderful,” she said, bypassing the rest of her group.

For three days this week, tens of thousands of people were broadcast in St. Peter to present their last farewell to the Argentine Pope who – as he said when he was elected – “from the end of the world.”

When they enter Belgilica, hours after waiting, Visitors and pilgrims began towards the body of FrancisMalia the coffin next to the high altar based on the grave of St. Peter, the first Pope of the Catholic Church. Some sticks are personalized, while others hold a rosary or the hands of their children. All of them were very calm.

Father Ramez Twin, from Jerusalem, was the last in the waiting list to see the body of Pope Francis.

“It is amazing that we, as a group of Holy Land, would like to say the last farewell to the late Pope Francis,” he said.

“For us, it is a truly emotional moment to say thank you for being with us during this terrible time in the Holy Land.

“It means a lot for me, because he gave us a spiritual way of thinking, he had a love that he presented to everyone, and we learned to respect each other. We will miss it.”

After three days of lying in the state, the waiting list for the public was closed for their respect for the late ink at 19:00 local time on Friday. After that, a special ceremony was closed where the pans were closed to Pope Francis before its funeral on Saturday.

Outside, under the warm sunlight in April, groups of joyful African pilgrims were in the cheerful head rolls who ate gelato from the Bernini Fountain, the seagulls revolve around.

Retired couples in California raised themselves under the Colonnades in the box, and journalists from all over the world shouted questions in the Italian language, which is shaken in any Cardinal it seemed as if You may have a vote in the next domain.

His phone holds his phone to show one of the callers at home, a Brazilian priest who flows on himself, laughs.