(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 04.01.2013).- During the three days that Benedict XVI’s body was displayed before the main altar of Saint Peter’s Basilica, a total of almost 200,000 people filed past it to pay their respects.
On Monday, January 2, when the access opened, a total of 65,000 people entered in the course of the day. On Tuesday, the 3rd, the number rose to 70,000 and, finally, on Wednesday the 4th, 60,000 entered. This means that on average, some 9,000 people filed past the deceased Pope Emeritus. Seen among those present were not only important figures of Italy, such as the President and the Prime Minister, but also numerous Cardinals from all over the world, the Prime Minister of Hungary and the Queen Emeritus of Spain, Queen Sophia.
