23 April 2025 10:06am

10:06AM Hours before Pope Francis’s body would emerge, mourning worshippers filled 5,000 seats in the hot spring sun.

The public had been told the late pontiff would be moved from Casa Santa Marta to St Peter’s Basilica at 9am, where he would lie in state for the next three days.

On the dot – not a beat later – music filled the square announcing the beginning of the service, prompting an eerie silence from the awaiting worshippers.

The reassuring Irish accent of Cardinal Kevin Farrell was heard through a speaker, resonating across the square. His prayer, spoken in Latin, began with: “Dear brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow, we now accompany the mortal remains of our Pope Francis to the Vatican Basilica.”

It was the crowd of mourners who confirmed the arrival of the pope – with a respectful, but loud applause as his simple red-trimmed wooden coffin emerged followed by a long snake of clergymen.

Inside an open casket, the beloved pontiff looked up into the sky for the last time, flanked by Swiss Guards and suited men.

A louder, bolder applause was heard as he was carried up the steps and taken into the darkness of the Basilica.

9:40AM Thousands of loyal worshippers have already begun queuing to see Pope Francis in state.

St Peter’s Basilica, which is set to welcome members of the public from 11am, will allow mourners to pay their respects for three days before the funeral on Saturday.

9:01AM The reveal of the coffin has prompted a noticeable change in St Peter’s square – which continued to be full of holidaying tourists up until this morning.

A solemn and eerie silence filled the square as Cardinal Kevin Farrell read his prayer – watched on by nuns who peered from windows within the higher tiers of the Basilica.

The tolls of the bell – which accompanied the slow and steady procession of Pope Francis’s coffin – continued for several minutes as hundreds of clergymen and worshippers walked ahead and behind the late pontiff.

8:54AM Worshippers are continuing to pray as religious music continues following the procession of the coffin.

In a little over an hour at 11am local time (10am BST), the first members of the public will be permitted to see Pope Francis laying in state to pay their respects in person.

The red-lined coffin, flanked by eight Swiss guards, was carried into the square open casket.

8:36AM A roar of applause was heard as Pope Francis’s open casket coffin was carried up the stairs and into St Peter’s Basilica, where it will lay for three days.

Nuns and worshippers followed the late pontiff’s simple wooden coffin which he had requested in his wishes.

Worshippers stood and clapped respectfully as the coffin was taken up the stairs – followed by hundreds of nuns and others in a solemn procession that lasted around 15 minutes.

8:30AM Pope Francis’s coffin has emerged in public for the first time as it is moved to St Peter’s Basilica.

Crowds applauded as the late pontiff’s scarlet rimmed coffin appeared on St Peter’s Square.

Flanked by eight Swiss guards, the coffin was preceded by hundreds of clergymen who walked ahead of the coffin in a solemn procession on a hot spring morning.

More than 5,000 worshippers gathered to watch the procession, accompanied by music and the toll of the Vatican bell tower.