The coffin was slowly carried through the Vatican City by about ten people, accompanied by the sound of ringing church bells. The procession went from the Pope's residence to St. Peter's Basilica, where a funeral ceremony will be held on Saturday.
During the ceremonial procession, the coffin was surrounded by cardinals in red robes and colorful guards from the Swiss Guard. A singing choir also participated in the procession.
When the coffin was carried across St. Peter's Square and into St. Peter's Basilica, the crowd that had gathered began to applaud. Once inside the church, a ceremony was held where the cardinals bid farewell to the Pope.
Ordinary people will also have the opportunity to say their final goodbyes. For three days, the public will be able to visit the Pope's open coffin in St. Peter's Basilica.
The wait to enter the church was four hours on Wednesday afternoon, and the queue with tens of thousands of believers and tourists filled St. Peter's Square.
We wanted to thank one of the most humble Popes, said 21-year-old Francisca Antunes from Portugal, to AFP as she left the church.
Saturday's funeral is expected to be attended by heads of state and government from around the world, including USA's Donald Trump, France's Emmanuel Macron, and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky. From Sweden, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and the royal couple will attend.
The Vatican has also declared a nine-day mourning period starting on Saturday. The traditional mourning period involves daily prayers and ceremonies in St. Peter's Basilica.
