Emilio Morenatti, chief photographer in Spain for The Associated Press, arrived in St. Peter’s Square before sunrise to wait for Pope Francis’ casket to pass through the crowd and into St.

The rite began in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta and ended with the Holy Father’s body before the Altar of Confession in the soaring basilica at the center of Christendom.

Tens of thousands of mourners filtered into St. Peter's Basilica in Rome on Wednesday to pay their final respects to Pope Francis.