* His body is currently laid out in the coffin in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence where he lived during his 12-year papacy
* Papal funerals have historically been very elaborate, but instructions set out by Francis are much simpler
* He will be the first Pope in more than a century not to be buried in the crypt of St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. Instead, he will be laid to rest in Rome’s Basilica of St Mary Major
* Francis asked to be buried in a simple wooden casket lined with zinc — unlike his predecessors, who were buried in three nesting coffins made of cypress, lead and oak
BBC News
The Vatican announced this morning that Pope Francis’ coffin will on Wednesday morning be taken to St Peter’s Basilica for the public to pay their respects until the burial on Saturday, April 26.
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His body is currently laid out in the coffin in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence where he lived during his 12-year papacy.
Another rosary prayer will be held this evening in the Vatican’s St Peter’s Square to remember Pope Francis, starting at 17:30 GMT and separate prayers will be held from 19:00 GMT at Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome, led by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of state for the Vatican.
Papal funerals have historically been very elaborate, but instructions set out by Francis are much simpler.
He will be the first Pope in more than a century not to be buried in the crypt of St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. Instead, he will be laid to rest in Rome’s Basilica of St Mary Major.
Francis asked to be buried in a simple wooden casket lined with zinc — unlike his predecessors, who were buried in three nesting coffins made of cypress, lead and oak.
World leaders are confirming their plans to attend the Pope’s funeral which is set to take place on the steps in front of St Peter’s Basilica that include British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, US President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who shared a personal rapport with the Pope, Polish President Andrzej Duda, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, and from Pope Francis birthplace Argentina, his president, Javier Milei.
Meanwhile, St Peter’s Square in the Vatican City has been the focus for Catholics and tourists since the announcement of Pope Francis’s death.
It was also the location of a meeting of cardinals this morning where they decided the pontiff’s funeral would be held on Saturday.
Who is in charge after the Pope dies?
The person who runs the Vatican after the death or resignation of a Pope is known as the ‘camerlengo’ — currently Irish-American cardinal Kevin Farrell, who confirmed the Pope’s death, with a doctor and death certificate. No autopsy is performed.
Cardinal Farrell also locks and seals the Pope’s home, and destroys the Pope’s ring and lead seal, which is used to authenticate official documents.
The camerlengo is also responsible for organising the conclave. They can become pope, but this has only happened twice: Gioacchino Pecci (Pope Leo XIII) in 1878 and Eugenio Pacelli (Pope Pius XII) in 1939.
Pope Francis made Kevin Farrell a cardinal in 2016 and named him camerlengo in 2023
How is a new Pope chosen?
The new Pope is elected by the College of Cardinals. They are all men who were appointed by the Pope and are usually ordained bishops.
There are currently 252 Catholic cardinals, but only 135 can cast ballots as those over the age of 80 can take part in debate but cannot vote.
Traditionally the conclave doesn’t start until after a 15-day mourning period. However, in 2013, Francis’s predecessor Benedict changed the rules to allow it to begin earlier if the cardinals wished.
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How does the conclave work?
During the voting period, the cardinals are cut off from the outside world – denied phones and access to the internet or newspapers.
They sleep in Casa Santa Marta, a five-story guesthouse within the Vatican complex. The election is held in strict secrecy inside the Sistine Chapel, famously painted by Michelangelo.
Each cardinal votes for the candidate they wish to become Pope. They can vote for themselves if they wish. A new Pope is elected when a candidate has 90 votes — which can take several rounds.
In previous centuries, conclaves have gone on for weeks or months. Some cardinals have even died during the process.
How is smoke used to announce the new Pope?
To the outside world, the only information about how the conclave is progressing is smoke from the chapel’s chimney when ballot papers are burned after each round of voting.
Black smoke signals failure. White smoke means a new Pope has been chosen. The new Pope normally appears on the balcony overlooking St Peter’s Square within an hour of his selection.
The senior cardinal confirms the decision with the words “Habemus Papam” — Latin for “we have a Pope” — and introduces the new pontiff by his chosen papal name, which may not be his original given name.
For example, Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, but chose his papal name to honour St Francis of Assisi.
The traditional black smoke to announce the new Pope
Who can become Pope?
In theory, any Roman Catholic man who has been baptised can be considered. In practice, however, the cardinals prefer to select one of their own.
In 2013, Francis became the first pontiff to hail from South America — a region that accounts for around 28% of the world’s Catholics — and the southern hemisphere.
Historical precedent suggests the cardinals are far more likely to pick a European — and especially an Italian. Of the 266 popes chosen to date, 217 have been from Italy.
Several Vatican analysts have suggested Francis’s successor could come from outside Europe — not least because the late Pope appointed more than 140 cardinals from beyond the continent.
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What does the Pope do?
The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church, and is an important source of authority for the world’s roughly 1.4 billion Roman Catholics.
They believe the Pope represents a direct line back to Jesus Christ. He is considered a living successor to St Peter, who was chief among Christ’s initial disciples, the Apostles.
About half of all Christians worldwide are Roman Catholics. Other denominations, including Protestants and Orthodox Christians, do not recognise the Pope’s authority.
The Pope lives in Vatican City, the smallest independent state in the world. It is surrounded by the Italian capital, Rome.
The Pope does not receive a salary, but all his travel costs and living expenses are paid for by the Vatican.
