Thousands more queue to see Pope Francis on second day of lying in state

In that moment, I knew there was nothing more to do,

Alfieri said

I entered his rooms and he had his eyes open,

Sergio Alfieri told the Corriere della Sera newspaper

He was a wonderful pope,

Rome resident Alessandra Caccamo told the Reuters news agency as she queued outside the Vatican

Gerhard Ludwig Müllercardinal

A chapter in the church’s history has been closed,

Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Mueller told the Italian daily La Repubblica in an interview published on Thursday

It was a brief but intense moment next to his body,

Italian Massimo Palo, 63, told the AFP news agency after his visit

He was a pope amongst his flock, amongst his people, and I hope the next papacies will be a bit like his,

he added