VATICAN CITY (AP) — A procession to move the body of Pope Francis to St. Peter’s Basilica for three days of public viewing ended Wednesday morning, where thousands had already filled the central aisle.
The Argentine pontiff is remembered for his humble style, concern for the poor and insistent prayers for peace. He died on Monday at age 88.
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The body of Pope Francis lies inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool)
Cardinals pay their respects to Pope Francis inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where his body will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool)
The body of Pope Francis is carried into St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (Alessandro Di Meo/ Pool Photo via AP)
The body of Pope Francis is carried into St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (Alessandro Di Meo/ Pool Photo via AP)
Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrell asperges incense around the body of Pope Francis inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool)
Pontifical Swiss guards stand in formation in St. Peter's Square as people await the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
The body of Pope Francis is carried through St. Peter's Square to St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (Cecilia Fabiano/ Lapresse via AP)
The body of Pope Francis is carried into St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
The body of Pope Francis is carried into St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
The body of Pope Francis inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
The ceremony with the Pope Francis' body, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, pass through the crowd at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Cardinals take part in the ceremony transfering Pope Francis' body, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
The ceremony with the Pope Francis' body, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, pass through the crowd at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Vatican Swiss Guards stand in the atrium of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican before the body of Pope Francis will be carried inside where he will lie in state for three days, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool)
The body of Pope Francis inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
The body of Pope Francis is placed into St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool)
Cardinal's in the procession with the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state for three days, enter St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
A nun cries as the body of Pope Francis is carried into St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Priests in St. Peter's Basilica wait for the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Pontifical Swiss guards stand in St. Peter's Square before the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
Men wash the steps St. Peter's Basilica before the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state at for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
Nuns arrive to St. Peter's Square as they await the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state at St. Peter¥s Basilica for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Prelates walk at St. Peter's Square ahead of the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Nuns arrive in St. Peter's Square as they await the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
People gather in St. Peter's Square as they await the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
People gather in St. Peter's Square as they await the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Swiss guards stand in St. Peter's Square as they await the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
A prelate holds a picture of Pope Francis as he enters the atrium of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where the body of Pope Francis will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool)
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone sits in St. Peter's Basilica ahead of the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Staff make final preparations in St. Peter's Basilica ahead of the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Vatican Swiss Guards frame the entrance of St. Peter's Basilica where the body of Pope Francis will lie in state for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
The ceremony with the Pope Francis' body, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, pass through the crowd at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Earlier, the bells of St. Peter’s tolled as his body was transferred from the Vatican hotel where he lived. His casket was escorted by a procession of solemn cardinals and Swiss Guards through the same piazza where the pontiff had greeted the faithful from his popemobile just days before in what became his final goodbye.
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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
The body of Pope Francis lies inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool)
Cardinals pay their respects to Pope Francis inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where his body will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool)
The body of Pope Francis is carried into St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (Alessandro Di Meo/ Pool Photo via AP)
The body of Pope Francis is carried into St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (Alessandro Di Meo/ Pool Photo via AP)
Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrell asperges incense around the body of Pope Francis inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool)
Pontifical Swiss guards stand in formation in St. Peter's Square as people await the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
The body of Pope Francis is carried through St. Peter's Square to St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (Cecilia Fabiano/ Lapresse via AP)
The body of Pope Francis is carried into St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
The body of Pope Francis is carried into St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
The body of Pope Francis inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
The ceremony with the Pope Francis' body, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, pass through the crowd at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Cardinals take part in the ceremony transfering Pope Francis' body, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
The ceremony with the Pope Francis' body, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, pass through the crowd at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Vatican Swiss Guards stand in the atrium of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican before the body of Pope Francis will be carried inside where he will lie in state for three days, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool)
The body of Pope Francis inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
The body of Pope Francis is placed into St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool)
Cardinal's in the procession with the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state for three days, enter St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
A nun cries as the body of Pope Francis is carried into St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Priests in St. Peter's Basilica wait for the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Pontifical Swiss guards stand in St. Peter's Square before the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
Men wash the steps St. Peter's Basilica before the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state at for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
Nuns arrive to St. Peter's Square as they await the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state at St. Peter¥s Basilica for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Prelates walk at St. Peter's Square ahead of the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Nuns arrive in St. Peter's Square as they await the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
People gather in St. Peter's Square as they await the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
People gather in St. Peter's Square as they await the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Swiss guards stand in St. Peter's Square as they await the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
A prelate holds a picture of Pope Francis as he enters the atrium of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where the body of Pope Francis will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool)
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone sits in St. Peter's Basilica ahead of the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Staff make final preparations in St. Peter's Basilica ahead of the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Vatican Swiss Guards frame the entrance of St. Peter's Basilica where the body of Pope Francis will lie in state for three days, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
The ceremony with the Pope Francis' body, who will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, pass through the crowd at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
