St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday reopened its doors after a brief pause in the early hours of the day, to welcome thousands of worshippers from around the world who want to pay their final respects to Pope Francis.

Vatican authorities kept St. Peter's Basilica open all night as an estimated 50,000 people lined around St. Peter's Square and out of the Vatican into Rome to view the body of Pope Francis lying in state.

So many people lined up to see Pope Francis lying in state at St. Peter’s Basilica that the Vatican kept the doors open all night, closing for just one hour from 6 a.m. until 7 a.m.