The Vatican seats were vacant for two days, when a group of nuns dressed in gray stood on St. Peter’s Square and began singing.

At first, the nuns broke into Maria as if to encourage those who joined timidly.

Every once in a while they headed a few inches ahead after Pope Francis was lying inches in his queuing. As they sang, their faces turned to St. Peter’s Basilica to the left, and the white veil was shining.

It was a suitable sight for an extraordinary week, with Rome seemingly regaining its reputation as the “Capital of the World” and St. Peter’s Square is the center of the Catholic universe.

There was mourning, but it was also recognized that the Pope, who lived at the age of 88, died quickly and peacefully. “At least he did not suffer,” many said. However, this is not the time for celebrations either – it must wait until after the funeral is over, when the meeting at that time will inspire the usual excitement, conspiracy and inevitable speculation.

Before that, in Rome, these intermediate days had their own flavor.

Elena, a Romanian woman in her 50s, said she noticed the atmosphere of the city “militarian”. “There are a lot of people around, but I think everything is quieter and there is a little different in the air.” She told the BBC. The Pope’s death is to encourage people to “look at the inside” more.

She added that everyone she spoke to this week, even non-believer, was marked by his death.

Her friend Lina agreed. She stood behind the tobacco shop counter in Borgo Pio, a quiet cobbled street lined with buildings with dirt tones and flower boxes near the Vatican. “It’s neither a tragedy of the week nor a celebration,” she said. “It’s an opportunity for people to think, reflect, and I think it’s very needed.”

Nearby, people slowly landed through Della Conciliazione to the pedestrian streets in Italy and the state of Vatican, while the Pope’s coffin will arrive at the last place of the Cathedral of Santa Maria on Saturday.

The Vatican said earlier this week that the 4th-century church is only about 4 km from St Peter’s, but cars carrying the papal coffin will move on foot, which is about two hours’ journey, making the Vatican said earlier this week that the incident allows people on the street to see it and say goodbye.

Two transparent police officers admitted that the community was busier than usual, but “feeling like Saturday” and people were very relaxed.

Nevertheless, there are signs of huge security operations carried out by the Vatican and Italian authorities.

A soldier stood outside a religious shop on Wednesday, waving anti-drone devices like volcanic ash. When asked if the device could destroy drone frequency and force them to return to base, he mysteriously replied: “Maybe there is something else.”

Next to him, a soldier scanned the sky with binoculars. On the day of the funeral, they will join thousands of security personnel from various branches of the police and armed forces, as well as river patrols, bomb dogs and roof snipers.

American student Caislyn said she was “shocked” by her safety despite the number of people around her.

The 21-year-old attributed “people are here to pay tribute to Francis and enjoy the beautiful city.” She called the atmosphere “bitter and joyful” but said she saw the funeral as “celebrating life.”

“He set a good example for the world,” she recalled.

• You can watch and follow the funeral scene on the BBC News website and app. In the UK, the BBST proposed by Reeta Chakrabarti will be available for viewing on the BBC One iPlayer. Will still be in BBC News Channel Proposed by Maryam Moshiri. Finally, you can also follow the funeral reports Services on BBC World

When Kesling recalls Francis’ commitment to the poorest society, many others visited Maundy on Thursday on his last famous trip to the Vatican, when he visited prisoners in Regina Coeli as many times as he had before.

“He is very close to the people,” Elena said kindly, “and she understands why he “can’t stay away” to help the worst.

“I’m a homeless volunteer and I’ll pull me back every time I try to stop. Why? Because I’ve lived like them for three months, because I’m from poverty, too. It’s hard for me to get to them.”

“I think Francis is the same for Francis,” she said, commenting on Francis’ sister Maria Elena told Italian media last month that she and her siblings grew up in Argentina’s poverty.

Elena added: “He will never forget where he comes from. Even if he plays the highest role, he will never change him.”

For Belgium’s tourist Dirk, his wife is lined up to see the pope in the state of the cathedral, and since the papal’s death, the atmosphere has been “a thing that attracts people, which is part of what they want to be.”

He smiled and said, “This may be temporary and may end until Monday.”

He commented lightly on the number of homeless people across the Vatican and often disabilities. “I saw a woman who was almost bent over and walked, and people dressed in clergy completely ignored her, and they actually looked in the other direction so they didn’t have to face it,” he said.

“So it’s still shocking, the wealth of these churches around us and the poverty of the people sleeping at their doorsteps.” He shook his head. “I was shocked by the comparison.”

Katleho, an optimistic young woman in Lesotho, told the BBC that she felt “special, happy” when she was showing up on the balcony of St Peter the day before her death when she was given Easter blessing from Pope Francis the day before his death. “I think: I’m a true Catholic now!” she said with a smile.

She said she felt “a honor to join many people” and they paid tribute to Pope Francis this week. “It’s a real sharing experience, it’s great,” she said.

Three days this week, thousands of people poured into St. Peter to bid farewell to the Pope of Argentina, who, as he said when he was elected, had come “from the end of the world.”

When you line up for a few hours, when you enter the cathedral, Visitors and pilgrims march towards Francis’s bodylying in a coffin on the high altar, built on the tomb of St. Peter, the first Pope in the Catholic Church. Some waved themselves, others grabbed the rosary or the child’s hand. Everyone was quiet.

Outside in the warm April sunshine, a group of joyful African pilgrims in the ice cream at the Bernini Fountain coiled around the ice cream, seagulls hovering overhead.

Retired California couple exuding themselves under the colonial grounds of the square, journalists around the world in any question of yelling Italians among their cardinals Voting may be held at an upcoming meeting.

A Brazilian pastor smiled and smiled as he pulled out his cell phone to show the caller his surroundings.