Rome boosts public transport to deal with crowds.The faithful will be able to pay their final respects to Pope Francis whose body will lie in state in St Peter's Basilica from Wednesday until Friday, the Vatican said.The coffin containing the body of the late pontiff will be transferred from the Casa Santa Marta chapel to St Peter’s on Wednesday morning, in a procession led by the Vatican camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell. The "rite of translation" will begin with prayers at 09.00, with the procession passing through the central door of St Peter's. The ritual will conclude with the Liturgy of the Word at the Altar of the Confession, after which public visits will begin: on Wednesday from 11.00 until midnight; Thursday from 07.00 to midnight; and Friday from 07.00 to 19.00. The funeral of Pope Francis will take place in St Peter's Square on Saturday at 10.00, with the liturgy to be presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals. After the funeral Mass, which will be concelebrated by patriarchs, cardinals, archbishops, bishops and priests from across the world, the late pope's body will be taken inside St Peter’s and then to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for entombment. The Vatican's Jubilee of Adolescents will go ahead this weekend however the canonisation of Carlo Acutis has been suspended. Italy has declared five days of national mourning for Pope Francis, as Rome boosts its public transport services to cope with the extra crowds. Photo Wanted in Rome, St Peter's, 21 April 2025.

The faithful will be able to pay their final respects to Pope Francis whose body will lie in state in St Peter's Basilica from Wednesday until Friday, the Vatican said. The coffin containing the body of the late pontiff will be transferred from the Casa Santa Marta chapel to St Peter’s on Wednesday morning, in a procession led by the Cardinal Kevin Farrell. The "rite of translation" will begin with prayers at 09.00, with the procession passing through the central door of St Peter's. The ritual will conclude with the Liturgy of the Word at the Altar of the Confession, after which public visits will begin: on Wednesday from 11.00 until midnight; Thursday from 07.00 to midnight; and Friday from 07.00 to 19.00. The will take place in St Peter's Square on Saturday at 10.00, with the liturgy to be presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals. After the funeral Mass, which will be concelebrated by patriarchs, cardinals, archbishops, bishops and priests from across the world, the late pope's body will be taken inside St Peter’s and then to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore . The Vatican's Jubilee of Adolescents will go ahead this weekend however the has been suspended. Italy has declared for Pope Francis, as Rome  services to cope with the extra crowds. Photo Wanted in Rome, St Peter's, 21 April 2025.