The moment was captured as two nuns and a priest appeared on the Brazilian show.

The cost of being able to be me, and the value of my happiness at finally being free? Priceless.  

The cost of being able to be me, and the value of my happiness at finally being free? Priceless.  

The new pope called for peace in Ukraine and Gaza in his first Sunday noon blessing.

Personally, I would have preferred a more progressive new Pope.

‘Where else would he be?’

Cardinal Robert Prevost – now Pope Leo XIV – has criticised Trump’s administration on their tough stance on immigration.

‘Talk about the most random fact for the week!’

What happens with the black smoke, white smoke, and a top secret conclave of cardinals?

The reason why women can’t become the Pope can be traced back to a simple reason: women can’t become priests.

The reason why women can’t become the Pope can be traced back to a simple reason: women can’t become priests.

Numerous nuns have fled the abbey after the Vatican stepped in to try and settle the controversy.

The Cardinal was also once a papal contender in the last conclave in 2013 due to his extensive church contacts in Africa and Europe.

There were some rather striking outfits…

His obituary described him as a ‘simple and much-loved shepherd’.

A moment of history is unfolding in the Vatican City as an estimated 1.4 billion Catholics are preparing to bid farewell to Pope Francis during his final journey today.

For the first time in more than a decade, the world will watch the funeral of a pontiff – not one who resigned, but one who died in office – and crucially, one who broke Catholic convention by accepting LGBTQ+ couple.

It is one of the most significant moments in recent Catholic history – and one that will be remembered for generations to come.

Metro is on the ground in the heart of the Vatican, so follow along with us from St Peter’s Square.

What is the mood in the Vatican?

As clouds clear above the cobblestones of St Peter’s Square, the gates are overwhelmed with the crowds of mourners pouring from all directions.

Some are clutching rosaries, small flags and pictures of Francis, but most are armed with cameras and selfie sticks.

It is a well-oiled security operation by now – despite all the logistics. Official entry points, luggage scanners, checks every few metres. The perimetre is locked down and thousands of officers from Swiss Guards, Carabinieri andvarious branches of the Italian military are ensuring the safety.

For now, everyone’s eyes are peeled on the gates of St Peter’s Basilica from where Francis will begin his final journey. The weight of what is to come in the next few hours is hanging in the air.

Outside its walls, hundreds of thousands of people are lining the streets in the Italian capital to say goodbye to the pontiff and the number is expected to rise closer to the funeral.

For those still hoping to get to a vantage spot in St Peter’s Square, there is a level of anxiety.

Many have travelled from afar, so there is an additional layer of pressure to make the most of this historic moment.

What are the funeral plans? Schedule and route to burial site

The official ceremony will begin with the pope’s coffin being taken out of St Peter’s Basilica and into the square.

The funeral Mass is due to start at 10 am (9am BST) with a choir singing introductory rites in Latin.

Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re will deliver the homily and lead the Mass, which is expected to be con-celebrated by 220 cardinals and 750 bishops and priests near the altar, and more than 4,000 other priests con-celebrating in the square.

Francis will then be buried according to his wishes in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, outside the Vatican.

The last pontiff to be buried outside the Vatican was Leo XIII, who died in 1903.

The funeral cortege will travel to the basilica at walking pace, for around three hours.

Crowds are expected to gather along the route, which is 3.4 miles long and will pass by many of Rome’s famed monuments, including the Colosseum.

A group of poor people will be present on the steps leading to Mary Major to pay their final respects to Francis, reflecting his devotion to serving the poor and oppressed during his reign.

The burial will be a private service, but visitors to the tomb will be allowed shortly afterwards. The tomb will be inscribed only with the Latin name for Francis, Franciscus.

Who is attending the event?

More than 200,000 people are expected to attend the ceremony in the vast square.

So far, at least 100 foreign delegations are among them, including some 50 heads of state.

Francis’ funeral will be something of a ‘spot the world leader’ game – but it is only a testament to the pope’s legacy and his reach beyond the Catholic Church.

Sir Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump will soon arrive for the start of the procession after flying in last night.

Kensington Palace confirmed that Prince William will represent the Royal Family in Rome, not King Charles.

Their presence is just one reason why security measures across Rome and especially inside the Vatican is tighter than ever.

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The break of protocol was permitted for one reason.

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.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

When I heard the news that Pope Francis had died, a large part of me was fearful for what comes next for people like me. 

The reason why women can’t become the Pope can be traced back to a simple reason: women can’t become priests.

The world will be watching Vatican City after the death of the pontiff, but behind closed doors, centuries-old ceremonies are being carried out.

The pontiff can be seen lying in his vestments with a rosary clasped between his fingers as guards stand beside his body.

A ring of steel has been erected around St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City in preparation for Pope Francis’ funeral.

Will the next Pope use the custom made car?