By Joshua McElwee and Giulia Segreti ROME (Reuters) -Tens of thousands of mourners filed into St. Peter's Basilica on Friday on the last day to pay final respects to Pope Francis ahead of his funeral on Saturday.

It meant a lot to me to see him, he gave us so much,” said one woman who waited in line to file past the pontiff’s casket.

Pope Francis regularly called a church in Gaza to ask how residents there were doing during the Israel-Hamas war. He is remembered as a defender and consoling presence.