Volunteers, police prepare for crowds at St. Peter’s for Pope’s farewell

Thousands of people gathered Thursday for a glimpse of Pope Francis's body on the second day of public tributes, after St Peter's Basilica stayed open almost all night to accommodate the crowds. With waiting times reaching four hours to enter the basilica, some 48,600 people had already filtered past the Catholic leader's red-lined wooden coffin by Thursday morning, the Vatican announced.

Authorities, who expect up to 170 foreign delegations, have ramped up security for the funeral. Italy's civil protection agency estimates that "several hundred thousand" people will descend on Rome on what was already set to be a busy weekend due to a public holiday. After the funeral, Francis's coffin will be taken to his favorite church, Rome's papal basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.