In April 2005, after Pope John Paul II's body was placed in St Peter's Basilica, the line of mourners extended as far as about five kilometres into Rome. Reporting based on Vatican figures said the basilica admitted roughly 21,000 people an hour, while mourners waited for many hours.
What distinguishes this queue is that admission to one religious building became a city-scale movement plan. Grief was personal, but enabling millions to say farewell required an immense order made from streets and time.