PICTURES: More Than 70,000 Catholics Flock To See Pope Benedict XVI

The Vatican was flooded with tens of thousands more mourners than anticipated yesterday, with 65,000 paying their respects to the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI - more than expected.

As Monday marked the start of the three-day public viewing of Pope Benedict, mourners gathered to pay their tributes before his 'simple' funeral at the Vatican on Thursday.

See pictures below