The Vatican has announced that the funeral of Pope Francis will take place on Saturday morning.
Officials confirmed the service would be held in St Peter’s Square and begin at 9 am UK time (10 am local time).
It comes after the 88-year-old died on Monday morning, with officials later saying he had suffered a stroke and heart failure.
Following the funeral, a conclave to choose a new pope will begin on 5 May.
The liturgy for the funeral will be presided over by the dean of the college of cardinals, the Most Reverend Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.
Following the service, “the coffin of the Roman Pontiff will then be taken to St Peter’s Basilica and from there to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for burial,” a Vatican spokesperson said.
Earlier on Tuesday, the first images of the Pope lying in state were released, showing the late pontiff in his casket with the Vatican secretary of state praying over him.
The coffin is currently in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence, where he lived during his 12-year papacy.
A Vatican employee told Sky News she saw the Pope’s coffin on Tuesday morning.
She described the atmosphere as “so sadly impressive”, with some of the pontiff’s closest aides around his body in tears.
The Pope’s body will be taken into the adjacent St Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday at 8 am UK time, allowing people to pay their respects in the lead-up to the funeral.
Sky News
