Easter pilgrims in sun-drenched St Peter’s Square stunned by pope’s death

VATICAN CITY - They had come from around the world and crammed into St Peter’s Square to hear the pope deliver an appeal for peace on Easter. A day later, he was dead.

Tourists and pilgrims who flocked to Rome for Holy Week were dazed with shock at

news of the death of Pope Francis

, the morning after he had driven in his open-topped pope mobile through crowds cheering “Viva il Papa!” on Christianity’s holiest day.

Father Bachai, a retired priest from the US who had come to Rome for Holy Week, compared the pain of learning of the Pope's sudden death to a bruise.

“He appeared in public yesterday, looked healthy. I was so shocked, and sad, of course,” he said.

Ms Sue Rak, visiting Rome from Ghana with her husband and child, said she believed Pope Francis “wanted to meet God”.

“May he rest in peace. He has done well in the world,” she said. “He wanted to protect the weak.”

An atmosphere of mourning gradually filtered over the square as the news sank in with both tourists and Romans who had been enjoying a sun-drenched Easter holiday on April 21.

At noon, St Peter’s bells tolled in mourning and a silence descended upon the crowd.

“We saw him here, he was just driven by in the car. It was shocking news this morning,” said Ms Letizia Bartocci, who works in a jewellery shop a short distance from the square.

“This is something that really hits you hard,” said Ms Emanuela Tinari, who is from Rome and was with her boyfriend Gianmarco Omiccioli. “He was a pope who brought so many people closer to the church.”

Mr Frank Lavis Tourneta, was visiting from the French island of Corsica, said he was moved to find himself in Rome on the day of the Pope’s death.

“Today I see a sign of the Christian religion that Pope Francis has died today and gone to heaven. I believe that it is a strong sign for the Christian faith today.” REUTERS