The coffin of Pope Francis has been closed and sealed in a private ceremony in St Peter's Basilica which was attended by Vatican officials and some members of the late Pope's family.
It followed some 250,000 people paying their respects to Pope Francis during a three-day lying in state, the Vatican said, as public viewing ended and world leaders began gathering for his funeral.
French President Emmanuel Macron was among the last to pay his respects, with the overall crowds exceeding the estimated 195,000 who came to see Francis' predecessor Benedict XVI after his death in 2023.
The Pope's coffin has been sealed.
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) April 25, 2025
It was a private ceremony, attended by Vatican officials and some of the Pope's family members.
Now that the ceremony is over, the Chapter of St Peter will hold a prayer vigil by the coffin all night, until the Pope's funeral begins tomorrow… pic.twitter.com/KHZouef47f
"What a great man! He loved everyone, every religion," said 53-year-old Italian Igho Felici after viewing Francis' coffin, adding: "I had to be here."
Throughout the day, vast crowds of people had packed Via della Conciliazione, the wide avenue leading to the basilica, pilgrims and tourists mingling with Italians enjoying the 25 April public holiday.
Pope Francis' wooden coffin, in which the pope lies wearing a red chasuble, white mitre and black shoes, with a rosary laced around his fingers, was due to be closed in a private ceremony at 8pm (7pm Irish time).
President Michael D Higgins is among 50 heads of state and over a dozen royals expected to attend the funeral tomorrow, alongside around 200,000 mourners.
Italian and Vatican authorities have placed the area around St Peter's under tight security with drones blocked, snipers on roofs and fighter jets on standby.
Further checkpoints will be activated tonight, police said.
President Higgins pays respects to Pope Francis
President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina have paid their respects to the late Pope Francis in Rome as the Vatican made final preparations for the pontiff's funeral.
They will return to St Peter's Square tomorrow, where they will join heads of state and heads of government and other delegations from around the world.
Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh and Archbishop Dermot Farrell of Dublin are travelling to Rome to concelebrate the funeral mass, while the President and Vice President of the Irish Catholic Bishops Conference will represent Irish Bishops.
They have asked that people pray for "the happy repose of the soul of Pope Francis".
Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris will also attend tomorrow's funeral.
Watch: President Higgins and wife Sabina pay their respects as Pope Francis lies in state
President Higgins, who met the Pope five times, said he was pleased to communicate the appreciation of all the people of Ireland for "the life, the documents and the contacts to the most vulnerable all over the world..."
In a statement, he said that the world was struck by the generosity shown by Pope Francis, right until the very last moments of his life, in terms of seeking to embrace all of humanity.
The President said that through his life and his work, Pope Francis led by example in embracing so many of the most important issues facing humanity.
"In particular, he was a strong advocate for the fulfilling of obligations in relation to Mother Nature and the indigenous peoples who are paying the highest price for the consequences of climate change, he was a strong spokesperson for how global poverty could be eliminated, and he gave leadership in relation to the rights of migrants."
In attending the funeral and celebrating the life of Pope Francis, President Higgins said it was important to "stress his work on our shared humanity and on the importance of peace, sustainability and of rights".
Global tributes
The Catholic Church's first Latin American pope died on Monday aged 88, less than a month after spending weeks in hospital fighting severe pneumonia.
"It was like saying goodbye to a father" who "loved me and will continue to love me as and more than before", said Filipa Castronovo, 76, an Italian nun.
The pontiff, who had long suffered failing health, defied doctors' orders by making a public appearance on Easter Sunday, the most important moment in the Catholic calendar.
It was his last public appearance.
Read more:
Time to take it all in amid queue to pay respect to Pope Francis
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Condolences have flooded in from around the world for the Jesuit, an energetic reformer who championed those on the fringes of society in his 12 years as head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.
He used his last speech to rail against those who stir up "contempt... towards the vulnerable, the marginalised, and migrants".
"It's impressive to see all these people," French cardinal Francois-Xavier Bustillo said of the queueing crowds, describing Francis as "a man of the people.
"It's a beautiful response, a beautiful embrace of his ministry, of his pontificate," he added.
The Vatican has said more than 130 foreign delegations are confirmed for the funeral, including Argentina's President Javier Milei and the UK's Prince William, many of whom began arriving early on this morning.
US President Donald Trump is expected to arrive on this evening for a visit of less than 24 hours, his first foreign trip of his second term.
Accompanied by his wife Melania, Mr Trump will face many foreign leaders, but no meetings have been announced.
The presence of Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky was in doubt after he said he may miss the funeral due to important "military meetings" following a deadly Russian strike on Kyiv.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered his condolences late yesterday, after a notable delay that some attributed to strained ties with the Vatican, as Francis had repeatedly criticised Israel's conduct in Gaza.
Selfie ban
The Vatican banned people from taking photos inside the basilica yesterday, a move that eased the queue.
It came after some mourners took selfies with the coffin.
After the funeral, Francis' coffin will be driven at a walking pace for burial at his favourite church, Rome's papal basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
The hearse will pass down Rome's Fori Imperiali - where the city's ancient temples lie - and past the Colosseum, according to officials.
Thousands of people continue to make their way to St Peter's to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, with St Peter's remaining open til 2:30 Friday morning and reopening at 5:40 to accommodate the crowds of mourners. Since Wednesday, more than 125,000 people have have come… pic.twitter.com/iFyqOr6lJv
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) April 25, 2025
Big screens will be set up along the route on which to watch the ceremony, according to Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, who estimated the crowds at around 200,000.
Francis was a champion of the underdog, and a group of "poor and needy" will be at Santa Maria Maggiore to welcome the coffin, the Vatican said.
Francis will be interred in the ground; his simple tomb marked with just one word: Franciscus.
People will be able to visit the tomb from Sunday morning, as all eyes turn to the process of choosing Francis' successor.
Early May conclave possible
Cardinals from around the world have been returning to Rome for the funeral and the election of a new pope.
They have been meeting every day to agree the next steps, but have yet to announce a date for the conclave.
Luxembourg's Jean-Claude Hollerich, a Jesuit who was a close adviser to Francis, said the conclave would likely begin on 5 or 6 May.
This is right after the nine days of mourning declared by the Holy See, which ends on 4 May.
Only those under the age of 80 - currently some 135 cardinals - are eligible to vote.
Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who was number two to Francis, is the favourite, according to bookmaker William Hill.
They put him ahead of Filipino Luis Antonio Tagle, the Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Manila, followed by Ghana's Cardinal Peter Turkson, and Matteo Zuppi, the Archbishop of Bologna.
Additional reporting Ailbhe Conneely
