Security in Rome to intensify ahead of Pope's funeral

Since the death of Pope Francis the atmosphere in Rome has been strangely one of 'business as usual'.

Considering that 2025 is a Jubilee Year, security measures were already in place for the large numbers visiting the Vatican City.

That security will intensify in the coming days as guests arrive in Rome for the pontiff’s funeral mass on Saturday.

In the meantime, people and tourists are going about their daily business in the April sun.

It appears that the shock announcement of Pope Francis's death on Monday, following his appearance on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica on Easter Sunday, has yet to sink in.

It will become a reality when the coffin in which Pope Francis is laid out, is moved from Casa Santa Marta to lie in state at the basilica this morning.

As is tradition, queues will form in St Peter’s Square before the basilica opens to allow the public to pay their respects.

Pope Francis’s coffin will be transferred from the chapel inside the Vatican’s Saint Martha guesthouse - where he resided for the past 12 years - to St Peter’s Basilica, following a brief prayer by the papal Camerlengo, Cardinal Kevin Farrell.

Over the next three days, the basilica will remain open for at least 12 hours. On Thursday it will open for 15 hours.

The Vatican has not yet estimated how many people are expected to pay their respects. However, given the immense global following of Pope Francis, it’s anticipated that the crowds will be substantial.

Following the death of Pope John Paul II in 2005, St Peter’s Basilica opened to the public for several days.

The Vatican initially planned that it would close between 2am and 5am for routine cleaning, but this was adjusted to a shorter period due to the high numbers.

Since word of Pope Francis’s death on Monday morning, some of the faithful who had visited for Easter weekend have remained in Rome.

As dusk fell last night, many gathered to pray the Rosary after which they sang hymns which echoed through the colonnade.

World media worked late into the night to repeat information that they had divulged 12 hours earlier, following confirmation of the funeral arrangements from the Vatican.

Clergy from around the world, leaders of other faiths will gather on Saturday morning for the funeral mass.

Security will be tight due to the attendance of world leaders; the dynamics amongst whom will be watched with interest.

All will gather to celebrate the life of a man for whom individualism, exclusion and ego were anathemas.

Could the funeral become overshadowed by those attendees who are so central to politics in a tumultuous world.

While there’s a fascination about dynamics on the day, the lead up to the funeral is arguably more important.

Over the next three days, reality will descend on those who admired Pope Francis.

While he wasn't without his critics, many people felt they could relate to his humility which has continued in death.

The open coffin in which he will be laid out in St Peter's is a simple one, made of wood and lined with zinc.

And in his last testament, Francis said he wished to be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore with the simple inscription of his papal name in Latin, Franciscus.