The overwhelming majority in the crowd were Poles who had travelled from their home country and immigrant communities as far afield as Chicago and Sydney to watch their most famous native son become a saint.
Hundreds of flags filled the square and the streets surrounding the Vatican, which were strewn with sleeping bags, backpacks and folding chairs.
Some people said they had managed to sleep on their feet because the crowd was so thick.
To watch Yazbek Wehbe’s report, please click on the VIDEO above