Vatican City – The body of Pope Francis will lie in state at St Peter’s Basilica from Wednesday, ahead of his funeral on Saturday morning, the Vatican has announced.

The Pope, who died earlier this week, will be honoured with a funeral Mass in St Peter’s Square on 26 April at 10:00 local time (08:00 GMT). The ceremony will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, and will be attended by senior clergy from around the world, including Patriarchs, Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops and priests.

The funeral rites will conclude with the traditional Ultima commendatio and Valedictio, marking the start of the Novemdiales – nine days of mourning and liturgies for the repose of the late pontiff’s soul.

Pope Francis’ body will then be transferred to the Basilica of St Mary Major, where he will be laid to rest.

On Wednesday morning, the Pope’s coffin will be moved from the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, where he died, to St Peter’s Basilica. The rite of translation will begin at 09:00, led by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church.

The solemn procession will pass through Santa Marta Square and the Square of the Roman Protomartyrs, before entering St Peter’s Square via the Arch of the Bells. From there, the coffin will be carried through the central door into the basilica.

A short Liturgy of the Word will be held at the Altar of the Confession before the faithful are invited to pay their final respects.

St Peter’s Basilica will be open to the public for the viewing of the late Pope’s body from 11:00 until midnight on Wednesday; from 07:00 to midnight on Thursday; and from 07:00 to 19:00 on Friday.