Hundreds of thousands are expected to pay their respects to Pope Francis as he lies in state at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

In the past, the pope’s body was placed on a raised platform called a catafalque. Francis has opted for a simplified open coffin.

Among those expected to pay respects are world leaders and foreign dignitaries.

Why It Matters

Francis has died at the age of 88, the Vatican announced on Monday. He had recently been hospitalized for pneumonia in both lungs.

The pope is honored with a nine-day mourning period known as the Novendiale, a tradition that began in Ancient Rome.

What To Know

Historically, popes were embalmed and some of their organs were removed prior to burial. A church near the Trevi Fountain is home to the hearts of over 20 popes stored in marble urns. The practice has fallen out of favor.

Daily prayer services and masses are to be be held at St. Peter’s Basilica and at Catholic churches around the world.

Previous popes were entombed in three coffins, one made of cypress, another made of zinc and a third made of elm, nested inside each other.

Francis, who had said he wanted to simplify papal funerals, is to be buried in a single coffin made of wood and zinc.

His final resting place will be the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome, one of the four major papal basilicas. He will be the first pope in a century to be buried outside of the Vatican.

Nearly 100 popes are entombed at the Vatican Grottoes, the crypts located beneath St. Peter’s Basilica.

Francis was born in 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He became pope in 2013 following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the pope chose the name Francis to honor Saint Francis of Assisi. He previously served as a cardinal priest and the archbishop of Buenos Aires.

What People Are Saying

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his condolences “to Catholics across the world.” “In this time of war and brutality, he had a sense for the other, for the most fragile,” he told reporters.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “I send my deepest condolences to the Christian world and especially the Christian communities in Israel—the Holy Land—on the loss of their great spiritual father, His Holiness Pope Francis. A man of deep faith and boundless compassion, he dedicated his life to uplifting the poor and calling for peace in a troubled world. He rightly saw great importance in fostering strong ties with the Jewish world and in advancing interfaith dialogue as a path toward greater understanding and mutual respect.

“I truly hope that his prayers for peace in the Middle East and for the safe return of the hostages will soon be answered.”

What Happens Next

In the weeks following the pope’s funeral, the College of Cardinals will meet in the Sistine Chapel to hold a conclave, the election process through which a new pope is chosen.

Around 120 cardinals will vote in secret for their chosen candidate. The chapel is sealed off and the cardinals are locked inside.

The process is historically highly secretive, and candidates do not publicly campaign for the position. Voting continues until a candidate receives a two-thirds majority. If the two-thirds majority is not received, another round of voting is held. There can be up to four rounds each day.