Pope’s coffin sealed ahead of funeral on Saturday morning

Pope Francis’ wooden coffin was sealed on Friday night, in a private rite that officially ends three days of his body lying in state at the Vatican.

The Pope had been lying in state in St Peter's Basilica since Wednesday.  After the huge crowds of visitors – in total around 250,000 - over the last three days, St Peter’s emptied out as the last mourners paid their respects.

The deceased Pope lay in state in front of the Confessio altar in a wooden coffin, wrapped in a red chasuble, with a white mitre and a rosary clasped in his hands – the coffin resting at ground level, without a catafalque. This was Francis' own decision..

The ceremony, led by Cardinal-Camerlengo Kevin Farrell, began with the reading of a document listing the stages of Jorge Mario Bergoglio's life and his most important activities as Pope. It stated that the memory of the 266th Pope “remains in the heart of the Church and of all humanity”.

Among the milestones mentioned were his stay in Germany at the end of the 1980s and his multifaceted work in Argentina: "He was a simple and popular pastor in his archdiocese, who travelled far and wide, even by metro and bus. He lived in a flat and prepared his own food because he felt like a normal person.”

Archbishop Diego Ravelli spread a white silk cloth over the face of the Pope, while Cardinal-Camerlengo Farrell sprinkled Francis with holy water. A bag containing coins and medals minted during his pontificate was then placed in the coffin with the Pope.

The lid was then placed on the zinc coffin, along with Francis’ cross and coat of arms and a plaque with the Pope's name and the duration of his life and Petrine ministry, while psalms were sung. After the zinc coffin was sealed, the seals of the Cardinal-Camerlengo and the Prefecture of the Papal Household, the Office for Liturgical Celebrations and the Vatican Chapter were imprinted. The wooden coffin, which bears a cross and the coat of arms of the deceased pope, was then sealed.

Some relatives of the late pope also participated in the rite, according to the Vatican.

The event, which took place behind closed doors, comprised numerous brief songs, spoken prayers, and a time of silent prayer.

The rite concluded with a hymn to Mary.

The funeral for Pope Francis will be held on the steps of St. Peter's Basilica on Saturday at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET). That will mark the beginning of the ancient tradition of the Novendiales, nine days of mourning for the deceased pope during which funeral Masses are held each day inside the basilica.

His ultimate resting site, in Rome's Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, will be basic in design. It will be made of marble from Liguria, northern Italy, where his great-grandfather was from. He requested that there be no extravagant adornment on the tomb, merely an image of the cross he wore as Archbishop of Buenos Aires and the Latin inscription of his papal name: Franciscus.