200,000 Gather in St. Peter’s Square a Day After Pope Francis’ Funeral

Tens of thousands of devoted individuals assembled in St. Peter's Square on Sunday to show their respect. Pope Francis On the second out of nine designated days, the Vatican has allocated for this purpose. mourn the beloved pontiff who had been buried just one day before.

The throng, which the Italian authorities approximated to be around 200,000 individuals, was teeming with numerous youths; among them were those who initially intended to tour Rome prior to Pope Francis’s demise on April 21. Despite alterations made due to this somber event, the Youth Jubilee held from April 25-27 managed to attract myriad participants globally for various festivities. Vatican said .

The sainthood ceremony of Carlo Acutis A planned highlight for this Teenage Jubilee has been delayed. Acutis was an Italian teenager known for using his programming abilities to promote faith through digital platforms. He passed away due to leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15.

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“Despite having to alter our plans, it’s delightful to recall (Francis),” stated Samuele Arregetti, an 18-year-old from Bergamo in Northern Italy. “While we are deeply saddened by his passing, reflecting on him now makes us feel joyful... knowing he is in heaven.”

On hold: The postponement was prompted by Pope Francis' death.

Cardinal likens Francis' passing to the death of Jesus.

On the second day of the Novemdiale, which spans nine days of mourning, Cardinal Pietro Parolin urged Christians during Mass to turn their gaze toward Jesus Christ’s “boundless compassion for global peace and within our souls.” Vatican News reported.

He remembered the fear and sorrow experienced by the apostles following Jesus' death, noting that this scene mirrors the current mental state of the Church as Christians grieve over Pope Francis.

The sorrow from his leaving, the feeling of melancholy that overwhelms us, the chaos within our souls, the sense of confusion," Parolin stated, "we are going through all these emotions just as the disciples mourned the passing of Jesus.

Contributing: Reuters

The article initially appeared on USA TODAY: 200,000 people filled St. Peter's Square one day following the funeral of Pope Francis.