The funeral ceremony for the Pope, led by the Camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, is expected to conclude around 2:00 PM local time.
After the ceremony, many foreign leaders will depart for their home countries, while pilgrims and mourners will remain in Rome to continue honoring the figure of Pope Francis.
Today marks the beginning of the nine-day mourning period known as the Novemdiales, during which a memorial mass will be held each day in honor of Francis.
Following the conclusion of this mourning period, the focus of the Catholic world will shift to the Conclave — the ritual process for electing the new Pope. Eligible cardinals will gather in the Vatican to conduct a secret ballot to choose the next leader of the Catholic Church.
No official date has yet been set for the start of the Conclave, but it is traditionally held between 15 and 20 days after the death of a Pope, suggesting that a date sometime after May 6 is likely.
