Plans Set for Pope Francis' Funeral

The funeral of Pope Francis will take place this weekend, the Vatican have confirmed.

Cardinals met in Rome this morning for the first time since his death to begin planning his funeral. Those who were already in Rome met to decide on details, including when his body would be moved to St Peter's Basilica so that mourners could pay their respects.

Last night, the Holy See confirmed that Pope Francis died after a cerebral stroke that led to a coma and irreversible heart failure. Pope Francis' funeral will take place on Saturday, 26 April at 9am BST. This will also begin the first of nine days of mourning.

The Pope's body is currently laid out in a coffin in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence, where he lived. Pope Francis' body will be moved to St Peter's Basilica at 9 am UK time on Wednesday. The public will then be able to view his body and pay their respects as he lies in state.

Following a nine-day mourning period, Cardinals will meet in the Vatican to begin the conclave and the process of electing the next pope on 5 May. The funeral will be broadcast on the official Vatican YouTube Channel. It is also expected to be broadcast live on a number of television channels, including BBC News and Sky News.

Unlike his predecessors, Pope Francis has decided against being buried in the Vatican. Instead, he will be buried in the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica in Rome’s Esquilino neighbourhood, where he went to pray before and after his foreign trips.