Cardinals will meet Tuesday at the Vatican to begin preparations for Pope Francis’ funeral and burial, and to start the process of electing his successor.
Their first step will be to decide when the Pope’s body can be moved into St Peter’s Basilica for public viewing, possibly as early as Wednesday.
According to the rules Francis himself introduced, the funeral must take place between Friday and Sunday, with burial at the Basilica of St Mary Major, where he frequently prayed after foreign visits.
Francis died in his residence at the Domus Santa Marta, and a private viewing was held there on Tuesday for Vatican officials.
His coffin will later lie in St Peter’s Basilica without elevation, in keeping with his preference for simplicity, before the cardinals begin nine days of mourning followed by the conclave.