Missy Rome is considered the death of Pope Francis

The Vatican seat was free for two days when a group of gray nuns stood at St. Peter's square and began to sing.

At first quietly, then stronger, as if to encourage those who joined the nuns in Ave Maria.

Everyone was so often stirred a few inches ahead, following the tail for Pope Francis, lying in the state. And all the time they sang, their faces turned to St. Peter's basilica on the left, their white veils shine under their big sun hats.

It was a suitable view for an extraordinary week in which Rome seemed to regain its reputation to the “capital of the world” – and the Saint Peter Square as the center of the Catholic Universe.

He has mourning, but also admits that the Pope, who lived until 88, died quickly and calmly. “At least he didn't suffer,” many say. Still, this is not the time to celebrate – it will have to wait until after the funeral, when the conclave will cause the usual rage of excitement, intrigue and inevitable speculation.

Previously, in Rome, these days have acquired their own scent.

Elena, a Romanian woman of her 50s, said she noticed a “thoughtful” atmosphere in the city. “There are big crowds around, but I felt that everything is a little more relaxed, there is something different in the air,” she told the BBC, suggesting that the Pope's death had encouraged people to “look inside” more.

She added that everyone she spoke to this week, even unbelievers were marked by his death in some way.

Her friend Lina agreed. She stood behind the counter at her tobacco store in Borgo Pio, a quiet cobblestone street, lined with buildings in earth tones and colored boxes near the Vatican. “This is neither a week of tragedy nor of the celebration,” she said. “It's a chance for people to think, to think, and I think it's very necessary.”

Nearby, people slowly descended through the CONCILLIZIOE DEA, the pedestrian street that connects Italy and the state of Vatican City, and the same ark of the Pope will travel down Saturday when it reaches its last vacation spot in the basilica of Santa Maria Magiire.

The 4th -century church is only about 4 km from St. Peter, but the trip there is set to take about two hours, as the car carrying the casket of the Pope will move at a pace of walking to allow people to dress the streets to see and say goodbye, Vatican said this week.

Two with ordinary police officers admitted that the neighborhood was much more busy than usual, but that it “felt like Saturday” and that people were very calm.

However, the signs of the huge security operation installed by the Vatican and the Italian authorities were everywhere.

On Wednesday, a soldier stood in front of a religious goods store, smearing a huge device like Bazuka. Asked if a fabrication could, for example, disturb the drone frequencies and force them to return to their bases, he mysteriously replied: “Maybe, among other things,”.

Next to him, a fellow soldier scans the sky with binoculars. On the day of the funeral, they will be joined by thousands of security officers from different branches of the police and armed forces, as well as from river patrol units, bombs and sniper dogs on the roof.

American student Kaylin, who was sitting on a bench, sketching St. Peter's dome, said she was “shocked” by how safe she feels, despite the number of people around.

The 21-year-old attributes this to the fact that “people are here to give their respect to Francis and to enjoy this beautiful city.” She called the atmosphere “bitter”, but said she saw the funeral as a “holiday of life”.

“He gave such a great example to the world,” she memories.

• You can watch and follow the live funeral here on the website and the BBC News application. In the UK there will be a live coverage of the BBC One from 0830-1230 BST, presented by Reeta Chakrabarti, available to watch iplayerS There will also be live coverage of BBC News Channel Represented by Mariam Moshiri. Finally, you can also follow the funeral coverage of the BBC World Service

While Kaylin recalled Francis' commitment to the poorest society, many others referred to his last known journey outside Moundi's Vatican on Thursday when he visited prisoners in Regina Prison, as he had done many times before.

“He was close to people,” Elena said with kindness, adding that she understands why he “cannot stand aside” from helping these oldest.

“I work as a volunteer for homeless people and every time I try to stop, something pulls me back. Why? Because I lived like them for three months, because I come from poverty. It is not difficult for me to feel close to them,” she said.

“And I think it was the same for Francis,” she said, mentioning comments from Francis' sister Maria Elena, who told the Italian media last month that she and her siblings grew up in poverty in Argentina.

Elena added, “He never forgets where he was. Even when he came to the highest role, he never leaves him to change him.”

For the Belgian tourist Dirk, whose wife was tailored to see the pope lying in a state in the basilica, the gloomy atmosphere, since the death of the Pope is something that “attracts people, it is something they want to participate in.”

“It may just be temporary, it will probably end until Monday,” he laughed.

Dry, he noted the number of homeless – and often disabled people – people around the Vatican. “I saw a woman who was walking almost bent, and people in clergy clothes completely ignored her, in fact they looked in the other direction so that they wouldn't have to encounter him,” he said.

“So it remains shocking, the wealth of these churches around us and the poverty of the people who sleep on their doorstep.” He shook his head. “The contrast pulls me.”

Katlaho – a sublime young woman from Lesoto – told the BBC that she feels “special, happy” when she received the Easter blessing of Pope Francis the day before she died when he appeared on the balcony of St. Peter. “I thought: I'm a real Catholic now!” She laughed.

She said she felt “so privileged to join many people” who made their respect for Pope Francis this week. “It's a real shared experience, it's so wonderful,” she said, skipping to catch up with the rest of her group.

For three days this week, tens of thousands of people embarked on St. Peter to say goodbye to their last goodbye to the Argentine Pope, who – as he said when he was chosen – had come “from the end of the world.”

When they entered the basilica after hours in a queue, Visitors and worshipers continued to the body of FrancisLying in an ark of the high altar built over the tomb of St. Peter, the first pope of the Catholic Church. Some torn selfie sticks, others shook their rosaries or hands of their children. They were all very quiet.

Outside, under the warm April Sun, groups of joyful African worshipers in the obsessive shells of the head ate the desire of the Bernini fountain, the seagulls walking over the head.

Retired California couples fade under the columns of the square and journalists from all over the world called out questions in a shaky Italian to every cardinal that looked like they There may be a vote in the upcoming conclaveS

With his phone to show a call back home, the Brazilian priest spun on himself, laughing.