The Hungarian cardinal is one of the top candidates to succeed Francis (Picture: ABACA/REX/Shutterstock)

A hardline stance against LGBTQ+ marriage within the Catholic Church. A gatekeeper of ‘traditional family values’.

And a…

Inside the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome, people are queuing to take selfies in front of an ordinary plywood panel used in construction sites.

As one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches in Italy’s capital, the basilica features stunning 5th-century mosaics, a gilded ceiling and Baroque-era additions.

Considering this, it almost feels embarrassing – at a glance – that pilgrims, tourists and even Italians are paying attention to this oddly placed wooden slab instead of the historic relics surrounding.

Word has spread – this is where Pope Francis’ body will be interred.

Yes, it may look like a building site at the moment – only missing a sign that reads ‘Under Constriction’ – but it will soon be a sacred place for Catholics.

There are less than 48 hours to the pontiff’s funeral when Metro visited the Basilica of St Mary Major, located on the other side of Rome’s Tiber River and near Termini Rail Station.

People from all corners of the world patiently wait in line to photograph the spot.

Some kneel, others pose with a smile stretching across their face, unsure of the tone.

Jose, a Mozambique-born priest now living in Canada, was among those stationed near the plywood. Unlike most, he quietly observed and prayed.

Joined by a group of pilgrims, he arrived in Rome on Monday as part of a scheduled trip for the Jubilee Year.

The death of Francis changed everything for him, leaving him in a state of shock.

Jose told Metro: ‘I feel sad because it is a big loss for not just for Catholics but for the world.

‘Francis was a pope of hop – his message was to bring the hope particle for those who were in need, for women and for people who suffer violence and war.

‘We put our hope in his hands because he was speaking in a language that we hoped to hear.’

For Jose, it is almost a blessing to be in Rome at the time of the pontiff’s death.

He says that the two ‘have kept missing each other’ over the years – once in his homeland Mozambique in September 2019 and then in Canada in July 2022.

The priest had planned to attend Wednesday’s audience with pilgrims in St Peter’s Square to finally meet the Catholic leader.

‘After missing each other twice, I thought, “finally, I will meet him in Rome”, but that was not God’s plan,’ he said.

‘I queued yesterday to see him and to say goodbye. I am so thankful for his teachings. What I do now as a priest is all inspired by him.’

Following the funeral procession on Saturday, Francis’ coffin will be taken from St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City to the Basilica of St Mary Major.

In his will, he gave simple instructions for his burial: ‘The tomb should be in the ground; simple, without particular ornamentation, bearing only the inscription: Franciscus.’

Francis also said that throughout his life, he had always entrusted himself to the Virgin Mary.

‘For this reason, I ask that my mortal remains rest – awaiting the day of the Resurrection – in the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major,’ he wrote.

Currently, the Basilica of St Mary Major is open to members of the public until the day of the burial.

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‘Everything happens for a reason.’ This is what Ashley Tran, 30, told Metro while queuing at St Peter’s Square to say goodbye to Pope Francis.

The Texas native and her fiancé Phuoc Nguyen, 33, flew to Rome on Easter Sunday, expecting a joyful lead-up to their Catholic wedding in the Vatican.

What they did not know is that hours later they would be among the tens of thousands of pilgrims mourning the death of the pontiff.

Inching forward towards St Peter’s Basilica, where Francis is lying in state, they hoped to pay their respects to a pope who had shaped their faith.

This is not how Ashley and Phuoc had pictured the days leading up to their wedding in the Church of St Anne – one of only two in the Vatican.

They had planned to attend the pope’s usual audience with pilgrims in St Peter’s Square that happens every Wednesday, and get a blessing from him, and then depart for a few days of rest at Italy’s Amalfi Coast.

Francis’ death changed all of this. For the couple, it felt right to honour him first, so they delayed everything – wedding planning and their trip – so that they can ‘at least say goodbye’.

Ashley added: ‘I have to see him. I would not say that I am sad – of course, a passing of a life is always sad.

‘But Francis did so much, so this is a celebration of his legacy. He did all he could.

‘I just want to say goodbye and thank him for everything that he has done.

‘He is so beloved, and was such a giving and caring leader, and just such a kind man.’

The bride-to-be said Francis kept her Catholic faith strong, alongside all the values her parents taught her.

She said that in the worst times of her life – when she taught that she was going to lose Phuoc – she turned to God for help.

‘My fiancé was on his deathbed in 2020. Phuoc had less than one percent chance of survival,’ Ashley recalled.

‘We both turned to God, we prayed. And he got better. And that is why I said everything happens for a reason.’

Getting married in the Vatican has been a dream for Ashley for a long time.

What makes it ‘extra special’ is that their ceremony also falls during Jubilee Year.

For a moment, Ashley was concerned that their wedding was going to be cancelled as it is scheduled to happen less than 48 hours after the pope’s funeral.

‘For a second, I was worried. But we are Catholics and everything happens for a reason,’ she explained.

‘If this is the plan, then that is what God wants for us.’

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It is sweltering hot in the Vatican City where tens of thousands of people are lining up to see the remains of Pope Francis.

I am one of them – my hair is stuck to my forehead and droplets of sweat are running down my neck. I have already apologised to at least a dozen people for bumping them with my tripod.

Mourners surrounding me seem more prepared, bringing water, umbrellas to shield from the unforgiving sun – even in the early hours of this morning.

We have been queuing for almost an hour, bodies glued to each other as the procession to lay the pontiff in St Peter’s Basilica is broadcast on big screens across the square.

I am standing shoulder to shoulder with nuns and priests, Italian couples, students on school trips and tourists with cameras dangling around their necks.

Vatican officers are forced to establish another entry point amid a danger of a crowd-crush.

When the gates finally open, it is like a ripple goes through the crowd. Not quite a cheer, not quite a gasp, just a collective sense of relief, anticipation and grief.

It takes another two hours to get to the gate of St Peter’s Basilica. People pass the time by praying, taking pictures and getting to know each other.

I am not Catholic – and I am not sure what I am supposed to feel – but the sense of faith surrounding me is humbling and inspiring at the same time.

Inside the basilica, it is much cooler, but the atmosphere is no less heavy.

Like me, many in the queue recognise that this is a moment in history they will remember and cherish forever.

Ahead of us, lays the coffin of the pontiff, framed by Michelangelo’s dome – a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture – and golden columns.

The sight hits me like a wave. Everyone only has a moment, a millisecond, to catch a glimpse of Francis before his funeral on Saturday in the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome, where he will be entombed.

He chose to be buried at a much smaller basilica, about four miles away, outside the Vatican walls and near Termini station.

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Outside, the sun is almost blinding. The queue has swelled to at least 10 times its size.

It curls around St Peter’s Square and beyond, a testament to the pope’s legacy after 12 years as the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City .

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A secretive military unit specialising in drone warfare will be deployed to monitor the sky over Rome and the Vatican during the funeral procession of Pope Francis.

As thousands of mourners descend on St Peter’s Square, Italian authorities are enacting one of the most complex operations in recent Vatican history.

The threat level has quietly been elevated – though not officially – which has prompted a series of heightened security measures across the capital.

Among them is a special unit trained in drone reconnaissance operations typically used in conflict zones.

Franco Fantozzi, senior security adviser at International SOS, revealed to Metro that they will be watching the Italian airspace for potential threats on Saturday.

‘I cannot name the unit – and they are secretive – so they don’t even have a name within the military, but they will be watching the sky for drones,’ he said.

Airspace in Rome and Vatican closed

He also said that a ban on flights of any aircraft will be introduced during the farewell to the pontiff.

With more than 30 years of experience in the Carabinieri, with command roles in units involved in the fight against organised crime and terrorism, Fantozzi can get inside the mind of those policing the Vatican and Rome during the period of religious uncertainty.

Alongside a watchful eye on the sky, authorities will be monitoring River Tiber that flows through the capital and focusing on the crowds made up of pilgrims and tourists.

Security challenges ahead of funeral

Fantozzi stressed that there are several factors raising the threat level – including the timing, as the pope died on Easter Monday, and the overflow of tourists in Rome.

But this time the security challenge also extends beyond the borders of the Vatican.

Unlike his predecessors, Francis will not be laid to rest beneath St Peter’s Basilica in a break with centuries of tradition that represents his legacy as a more liberal leader.

His remains will instead be transported to the Basilica of St Mary Major, on the Esquiline Hill, near Termini train station.

This unusual final journey has triggered additional planning for the various police powers that are taking part in the operation.

Though Italian authorities have not shared official numbers yet, Fantozzi said that thousands more officers – including plainclothes officers will be deployed in the days leading up to the funeral.

This does not seem like an exaggeration as the parametre surrounding the Vatican is already swarmed with officers.

So is virtually every major intersection in Rome, turning traffic into a long nightmare.

This also means that every step during Francis’ last journey will be under the watch of Vatican Gendarmerie, the Swiss Guard, and elite Italian units.

Currently, the Italian government has the threat level of a terrorist attack in Italy as ‘medium/high’, also known as Level 2.

Past incidents during papal funerals

While there have been no such incidents during papal funerals in recent memory, the risk profile is always high.

The funeral of Pope John Paul II in April 2005 drew more than four million people to Rome and was one of the largest gatherings of heads of state outside the UN.

Security appeared watertight, but about three hours after the funeral, an Italian F-16 fighter jet intercepted a suspicious plane heading to Rome’s Ciampino airport.

The aircraft was forced to land after intelligence sources warned it was carrying a bomb, but this later proved false.

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