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By Stephanie Holmes
BBC News, Rome
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A tide of pilgrims has swept across Rome, doubling its population and straining the ancient Italian capital's already creaky infrastructure.
Initial predictions of one million pilgrims have been quadrupled
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As the number of pilgrims swells - the latest estimates put the number of faithful who have arrived at four million - the Roman authorities have been forced to plead with mourners, via text message, to stay away from the city centre.
The head of Italy's Civil Protection Department, which is responsible for co-ordinating the event, says she plans to take the unprecedented move of completely blocking traffic inside the city.
"Everyone can see what is going on out there with their own eyes," Patrizia Cologgi told the BBC News website.
"There is an ocean of people. We must let them do as they wish and pay their respects to the Pope."
'Show of faith'
All roads within the main ring-road which circles the city will be closed to traffic from 0200 (0000 GMT) on Friday morning.
Roads leading to the Vatican are gridlocked.
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ROME IN NUMBERS
Two million pilgrims have viewed Pope John Paul II's body
1.5m litres of drinking water handed out per day
500,000 extra train seats
2,000 portable toilets
8,000 volunteer stewards
25 super-sized screens broadcasting events live
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Most pilgrims, already exhausted from their journey to Rome, are making their way through the streets on foot.
They carry their bedding on their backs and stop only to collect the water bottles being handed out by some 8,000 volunteers.
"We have no issue with their motivations," Mrs Cologgi said.
"We are seeing a remarkable show of their faith. People are showing incredible resistance, it is a triumph of faith over will."
Tent city
Hundreds of ambulances are on standby along the streets near the Vatican, which are lined with thousands of portable toilets.
"The machinery is already in motion," Mrs Cologgi said.
"It is like a boat in a storm, a storm that just keeps on intensifying."
Entrepreneurial souvenir vendors have already made T-shirts printed with some of Pope John Paul's last words.
"I sought you. Now you have come to me and I thank you," they read, a phrase said to be among the Pope's last words.
Coffee bars around the Vatican have doubled their prices, but most pilgrims are surviving on the free sandwiches and water provided by the authorities.
A tented city, with a sea of blue plastic structures, has sprouted up at Tor Vergata, on the outskirts of Rome, to accommodate pilgrims.
Many are delighted to find that they have somewhere to stay after such an arduous journey.
Hitch-hikers
"We were so tired we could have just slept on the ground," Polish tourism student Sebastian said.
He and his friends spent two days hitch-hiking their way from Poland to Rome, and immediately joined the queue to wait 18 hours to see the Pope's body.
City workers have been working hard to keep up with the situation
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They spent the night in a specially converted exhibition centre.
"When we arrived in Rome, someone told us about this place and it is good for us. It's an excellent place - we have beds, bathrooms and showers."
Italian newspapers are marvelling at how the city has managed to not grind to halt after such an influx.
"Which other capital city could have coped with such an assault of people arriving, with only 48 hours to organise itself?" asked Thursday's La Repubblica triumphantly.
Pilgrims who have waited patiently for hours to reach the Basilica of St Peter surge forward with cheers and whistles when they are allowed onto the main avenue and the dome finally comes into sight.
"We've been queuing for 13 hours but we are happy to wait. I'm very tired but he merits this," said 70-year-old Italian beautician Rosy Bertolino.
"He is not dead - we are constantly talking about him, keeping him alive. I want everyone to know how much we cared for him."
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[Rome] is like a boat in a storm, a storm that just keeps on intensifying
