Pope Francis’ body will be moved to St Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning where it will lie in state for three days to allow Catholic faithful to pay their final respects ahead of a funeral expected to bring a host of world leaders including Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump.
Francis, a groundbreaking reformer, died aged 88 on Monday from a stroke and cardiac arrest, ending an often turbulent 12-year reign in which he repeatedly clashed with traditionalists and championed the poor and marginalised.
His body, lying in an open casket, was set to be taken from the chapel of the Vatican residence where he lived to St Peter’s, entering through the central door, in a grand procession starting at 9am local time (7am GMT), with cardinals and Latin chants.
Scores of Catholics and well-wishers are expected to pay their respects to the spiritual leader before he is laid to rest.
After a religious service, the general public will be allowed to visit the late pontiff until 7pm on Friday, with a funeral scheduled for Saturday morning.
The service will be outdoors, in St Peter’s Square, and is due to be led by the dean of the college of cardinals, 91-year-old Giovanni Battista Re. Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend.
Italy is preparing for a major security operation for the funeral, with the weekend already due to be busy because of the public holiday on 25 April. Interior minister Matteo Piantedosi said authorities were expecting between 150 and 170 foreign delegations, and tens of thousands of people.
Italian police have tightened security for the viewing and the funeral, carrying out foot and horse patrols around the Vatican, where pilgrims continued to arrive for the Holy Year celebrations that Francis opened in December.
“For me, Pope Francis represents a great pastor, as well as a great friend to all of us,’’ said Micale Sales, visiting St Peter’s Basilica from Brazil.
“I think he spread a positive message around the world, saying there shouldn’t be any violence, there should be peace around the world,’’ said Amit Kukreja, from Australia.
Trump, who clashed repeatedly with the pope on immigration, will be accompanied by first lady Melania. Leaders from Italy, France, Germany, Britain, Ukraine, EU institutions and Francis’ home nation of Argentina also confirmed their presence.
Francis has asked to be buried in St Mary Major, a Roman basilica he was particularly attached to, rather than St Peter’s like many of his predecessors, with a simple inscription of his name in Latin, Franciscus. He will become the first pope in more than 100 years to be laid to rest outside the Vatican.
On Tuesday, the Vatican released images of the pope dressed in his vestments, holding a rosary, with Swiss Guards standing beside his casket. Dignitaries, including Italian president Sergio Mattarella and Italian Jewish leaders, came to visit.
About 60 cardinals gathered on Tuesday to decide funeral plans, with more meetings planned in the coming days on other urgent business. The conclave, which will choose the new pope, is not expected to start before 6 May.
There is no clear frontrunner to succeed Francis, although British bookmakers have singled out Luis Antonio Tagle, a reformer from the Philippines, and Pietro Parolin, a compromise choice from Italy, as early favourites.
In the meantime, in the period known as the “sede vacante” (vacant seat) for the global Catholic church, a cardinal known as the camerlengo (chamberlain), Irish-American Kevin Farrell, is in charge of ordinary affairs.
