Farewell to Pope Francis: Coffin to be sealed with high-level ceremony

The Vatican is making final preparations today for Pope Francis's funeral, which will be held tomorrow.

Among them US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, 50 heads of state are expected to travel to Rome today to attend Saturday's funeral.

Italian and Vatican officials have placed the area around St. Peter's Basilica under tight security ahead of the funeral; drones have been blocked, snipers have been positioned on rooftops, and fighter jets have been kept on standby.

Argentine President Javier Milei and Prince William of the United Kingdom are among at least 130 foreign delegations expected to attend the funeral, where a no-fly zone will be in effect.

COFFIN TO BE SEALED

Tens of thousands of people have already waited in line for hours to pay their final respects to Francis, whose coffin will be closed at 8 p.m. local time in a ceremony attended by high-ranking cardinals.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Camerlengo who manages the Vatican's daily affairs until a new pope is elected, will preside over the "Rite of Sealing the Coffin."

Following the funeral, Francis's coffin will be carried in a procession to be buried at the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, his favorite church. The simple tomb of Francis, who will be laid to rest, will bear only a single word: Franciscus.

The Catholic Church's first Latin American pope had spent weeks in the hospital due to severe pneumonia.

The Argentine Pope, who had been suffering from health problems for a long time, defied doctors' orders by appearing in public during Easter, the most important moment in the Catholic calendar.

After the funeral, all eyes will turn to the process of choosing Francis's successor. Cardinals from all over the world are returning to Rome for the funeral and the conclave that will elect the new pope. In the absence of the Pope, the cardinals are meeting daily to decide on the next steps.

No date has yet been announced for the conclave, but it must begin at least 15 days and no more than 20 days after a pope's death. Only those under the age of 80 (currently about 135 cardinals) have the right to vote.