A surge in controversy is ongoing within the final day for the trustworthy to go to Pope Francis’ physique earlier than the casket is closed and sealed for tomorrow’s state funeral within the Vatican.
What’s driving the outrage within the press and on-line is the truth that the trustworthy – who stood in line for hours on finish to have a final look on the Pontiff – are selecting to memorialize the second with the questionable up to date behavior of ‘taking a selfie’ with the lifeless physique of Francis in his casket.
The Telegraph: ‘Smartphones are destroying our sense of widespread decency’; CNN: ‘Vatican asks guests to not take selfies with late pope’; Day by day Mail: ‘Fury at ‘disrespectful’ mourners taking selfies with the Pope’s corpse because the trustworthy queue for eight hours to pay respects’; Newsweek: ‘Selfies With Pope Francis’ Physique Spark Fury: ‘So Many Individuals”.
Miriam Cates wrote for The Telegraph:
“Because the loss of life of Pope Francis, many individuals have flocked to Rome to pay their respects, crowding into St Peter’s Basilica to see his physique on show in a easy, open casket. Shockingly, some guests have taken selfies on their telephones alongside the corpse, which has provoked worldwide criticism.
This conduct has been decried as outrageous, a violation of cultural norms resembling respect for the lifeless and reverence for sacred locations. But Vatican Selfie-Gate is simply one other instance of how smartphones have upended expectations about social conduct.”
Social media customers are going through backlash for posting selfies with Pope Francis’ physique in his open casket.
— The Publish Millennial (@TPostMillennial) April 25, 2025
CNN reported:
“Vatican officers are asking guests to not take selfies with the late Pope Francis as he lies in state inside St. Peter’s Basilica, telling them to place their telephones away as they handed by the coffin.
Virtually 130,000 individuals have paid their respects to the pontiff, many queuing for hours to glimpse him mendacity in an open coffin, the Vatican mentioned in a press release.
And whereas many bowed their heads in reflection and prayer, others held their cell phones aloft, attempting to take photographs of Francis at relaxation, CNN footage filmed on Wednesday contained in the basilica confirmed.
Movies posted on TikTok captured individuals stopping in entrance of the coffin to pose for selfies too. ‘So disrespectful’, learn one remark, which has acquired greater than 7,000 likes.
By Thursday, officers have been telling guests to place their telephones away and never take photographs as they handed the coffin, after they confronted criticism for not successfully policing telephone use the day prior to this.”
Newsweek reported:
“The road of mourners stretches for eight hours, with pilgrims touring from around the globe to grieve. Nonetheless, telephones are a dominant presence within the crowd, with many individuals holding them aloft to seize photographs of the pope.
Catherine Gilsenan, visiting from London, instructed The Solar: “I used to be very moved coming so near Pope Francis, but it surely was terrible seeing so many individuals taking photos.”
Reporting reside from the Vatican, Adam Parsons of Sky Information famous: “Telephones are a relentless sight.”
[…] Vatican safety has often intervened to ask individuals to point out extra respect, in accordance with The Mirror.”
Day by day Mail reported:
“A Vatican supply mentioned: ‘It might be good if individuals might try to keep in mind the place they’re and have a little bit respect however there’s little else that may be completed.’
One trustworthy mentioned the environment was ruined by individuals ‘ignoring warnings’ and taking photographs as an alternative of paying correct respects, […] including that it was ‘unhappy to see such disrespectful conduct’.
Official photographs of first day from the lying-in-state confirmed swarms of individuals surrounding the straightforward coffin holding their telephones within the air above their heads.
A sea of screens was seen floating across the Pope’s physique, and a few even prolonged selfie sticks in a bid to seize one of the best shot.”
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