Pope Francis died of a stroke at the Vatican on Monday at the age of 88. The pontiff's funeral will be held on Saturday, attended by worshippers and dignitaries, followed by a conclave of cardinals to elect his successor.
Here's what we know about the circumstances of the pope's death and what lies ahead.
Fatal stroke
On February 14, Pope Francis was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital for bronchitis, which later turned into bilateral pneumonia and nearly killed him. He was discharged from the hospital on March 23 and was ordered to rest for two months.
However, the Argentine made several public appearances during which he appeared increasingly frail.
The Vatican announced his death early Monday morning. According to a death certificate released by the Vatican, Francis died of "a stroke, coma and irreversible heart failure."
Feeding
His body was laid to rest in an open casket on Monday evening in a chapel at the St. Martha's guesthouse, the Vatican residence where he lived. Photos released by the Vatican showed Francis dressed in red papal robes, wearing a papal mitre and holding a rosary.
His body is expected to be moved to St. Peter's Basilica on Wednesday at 9 a.m. local time (10 a.m. Lithuanian time), where it is expected to be laid to rest.
Funeral
Francis' funeral will take place on Saturday at 10 a.m. local time (11 a.m. Lithuanian time) in the square in front of St. Peter's Basilica. The coffin will later be transported to Rome's Basilica of St. Mary Major, where the pope will be buried.
World leaders and believers from all over the planet are expected to flock to Rome to attend the ceremony and pay their respects to the world's Catholic leader.
JAV President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron are among the leaders who have announced they will attend the farewell ceremonies.
A conclave
The date for the conclave, in which 135 so-called "cardinal electors" will choose Francis' successor, is not yet known. However, the procedure is expected to begin no less than 15 and no more than 20 days after the pope's death, so between May 5 and 10.
The cardinals will meet in the Sistine Chapel - a Renaissance jewel decorated with famous frescoes by Michelangelo - and will hold four rounds of voting throughout the day (two each in the morning and afternoon) until a candidate receives two-thirds of the vote.
At the end of each session, the ballots are burned in a furnace, sending a smoke signal over the Apostolic Palace. If black smoke comes out of the chimney, the vote was unsuccessful. White smoke indicates that a new pope has been elected.
Lina Linkevičiūtė (AFP)