Pope Francis funeral: Massive crowds and global leaders to gather in St Peter’s Square

More than 300,000 people will pack St Peter’s Square to bid an emotional farewell to Pope Francis.

While they and many world leaders will witness the sad but historic occasion in person, a significant proportion of the 1.4bn Catholics around the globe will tune into the ceremony online or on television.

Since the announcement of his death on Easter Monday, hundreds of thousands of people have travelled to Rome to honour a pope who has been both popular and sometimes controversial over the course of his tenure.

In recent days, the entire area in and around St Peter's Square has been packed, with queues to get close to his body in St Peter's Basilica running back to more than 500m along various heavily-policed routes.

Mourners videoing a video set up to show footage not just of the pope lying in state but also his funeral. Picture: Neil Michael.

It is estimated that up to 200,000 people will have filed past his coffin before it is sealed on Friday night during a liturgical rite held in the basilica. 

Across Friday, Swiss Guards stood guard around the corners as ushers led people respectfully past his casket, some passing without stopping, others pausing for a moment and blessing themselves.

Those who came were of all ages, and nationalities. 

Some brought flags, other umbrellas, to shield themselves from the blistering sunshine that blessed this gathering of the faithful.

Clerics after the end of a special service for Pope Francis in St Peter's. Picture: Neil Michael.

Despite the hours spent queuing, there was very much a devout and good-natured atmosphere and there were even times when sections of the crowd broke out into song.

Among those who queued was father-of-six funeral director Seán Crilley, who left home when he heard the pope had died and booked a hotel room for three nights, costing €1,000 a night.

“Like so many, I just had to come,” he said, as he queued to see the pope in state for the fourth time.

“It's a very sad time for the Catholic Church.

"I would go so far as to say that he was the people's pope. He put his hand out to the marginalised in society and he lived a humble existence.

“Time will tell what the next pope will be like, but he has left a great legacy.” 

A member of a religious congregation at a vigil for the pope by one of the entrances to St Peter's. Picture: Neil Michael.

Whatever about his legacy and whether or not his successor will pick up where Pope Francis left off, the Archbishop of Dublin, Dermot Farrell, said it is important to remember that “the pope that's elected is a successor of Peter, not the successor of Francis”.

Asked who, if he was a betting man, he would put his money on to make the next pope, he replied: “I’d keep my money in my pocket.” 

After the funeral mass at St Peter’s square ends and the world's heads of State disperse, ordinary people will get a final chance to salute Pope Francis when the coffin is transported across the city to Santa Maria Maggiore, a fourth-century basilica that Francis requested as his burial place, instead of the traditional, and grander, St Peter’s.

Security helicopter constantly circling the Vatican as part of the security arrangements ahead of the papal funeral tomorrow. Pic for Neil Michael

Ceremonies aside, a massive security operation is under way to accommodate more than 50 heads of state, 120 delegations from different countries, and the many hundreds of thousands expected.

For most of the last few days, helicopters have been constantly circling the Vatican City, soldiers have been on patrol, including teams armed with anti-drone devices, and snipers have taken up positions on surrounding roof tops.