Pope Francis death: What happens next?

A huge gathering of the Catholic faithful will come together to grieve the loss of Pope Francis in the coming days, followed by the secretive and potentially lengthy process of cardinals choosing a new pontiff.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at what happens next.

On Wednesday morning, the late Pope’s body was brought from the private chapel of the Casa Santa Marta residence where he had chosen to live to St Peter’s Basilica, via a procession through Santa Marta Square and the Square of the Roman Protomartyrs.

Francis’s body will lie in public view for three days ahead of the funeral, so people can pay their respects to the late pontiff until Friday evening.

The first images of his body, released on Tuesday, showed him lying in a wooden casket, dressed in red religious garments with rosary prayer beads draped across his hands.

Large queues are expected to form, with the Basilica staying open until midnight on Wednesday and Thursday to accommodate mourners.

Joe Ronan, who works with the Catholic Voices media charity, recalled hundreds of thousands having queued to see the previous pope, Benedict, and said “numbers are likely to be very strong” to pay last respects to Francis.

His simple casket – as opposed to the three wooden coffins used for previous popes – will, according to his wishes, not be placed on an elevated platform.