Huge crowds paid respects to Francis, some took selfies

A Vatican official told the ABC that taking pictures of, or with, the deceased Pontiff was “frowned upon”. Officials intervened when people were seen taking selfies on their phones. And yet, as huge crowds streamed through the basilica, many choose to do it anyway.

April 25 was the fourth day of national mourning in Italy and a public holiday – Liberation Day – meaning many locals had more time to join the line.

Maureen Cesari from Australia told the ABC she thought taking a selfie in front of the Pope’s body lying in state was “a little bit disrespectful and creepy”.

“I don’t think that’s the right thing to do, to get a photo with the Pope,” she said. “I think that you’ve got to put that in your memory, not take a photo.”

Public interest in seeing Pope Francis lying in state was so significant the Vatican pushed back a planned midnight cut-off on Wednesday’s first day of viewings for several hours. Eventually, at 5.30am on Thursday, they cut off access to the basilica to allow for cleaning.

Tama Leaver, professor of Internet studies at Curtin University in Perth, said taking pictures with the late Pope could actually be “a deeply spiritual moment for many mourners”.

“There might be some people who are taking selfies to share with their online networks to gain views, but I suspect most people visiting are doing so for personal and spiritual reasons,” he said.

“It’s also a myth that all selfies are shared with others; a significant number are kept as a form of important digital connection for the person taking a selfie, and I suspect for many Catholics in mourning, a selfie of this kind might be more of a personal digital relic more than [just] something to share with a wider network via social media.”

Professor Leaver also pointed out Pope Francis, and Catholicism more broadly, had embraced the digital age.

“From the outside a selfie might seem disrespectful, but I suspect strongly for most people taking one it’s a sign of respect and most likely a sign of faith,” he said.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, posted a video of himself on the social media platform X on Wednesday, where he updated his followers on the experience. The Pope’s coffin was visible behind him.

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People snap selfies while Pope lay in state (NZ City/ABC)

Cardinals seal Pope Francis’ coffin, formally ending his lying in state at the Vatican (CNN)