Pope Benedict XVI: Around 200,000 attend lying in state - BBC

Almost 200,000 radical paid homage to erstwhile Pope Benedict XVI during his lying successful authorities implicit the past 3 days, the Vatican says.

His assemblage has been sealed successful a coffin up of his ceremonial connected Thursday.

Pope Francis volition preside implicit the ceremonial - the archetypal clip a sitting Pope has led his predecessor's ceremonial successful implicit 220 years, the Vatican says.

Tens of thousands of radical are expected to be the ceremonial successful St Peter's Square, successful beforehand of St Peter's Basilica, astatine 9:30 section clip (8:30 GMT).

The lawsuit volition beryllium marked by simplicity, successful enactment with what Benedict had asked for, the Vatican says.

Because Benedict was nary longer a caput of authorities erstwhile helium died, lone authoritative delegations from Italy and Benedict's autochthonal Germany volition attend.

Other leaders volition beryllium determination successful unofficial capacities - including King Philippe of Belgium and Queen Letizia of Spain, arsenic good arsenic the leaders of Poland and Hungary, the Catholic quality bureau reports.

The Pope Emeritus volition beryllium laid to remainder successful the tombs beneath the Basilica aft his funeral, according to his last wishes.

Before being laid successful the crypt, his assemblage volition beryllium sealed successful a zinc coffin, which volition past beryllium enactment successful a woody case. Items symbolising his clip successful the papacy volition besides beryllium placed alongside his body.

Pope Benedict was a almighty presence

In 2013, Benedict became the archetypal Pope successful much than 600 years to measurement down.

But helium was inactive a "powerful presence" successful the Vatican aft his retirement, according to the astir elder British fig there, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.

Observers of Vatican affairs suggest that whether Benedict courted it oregon not, helium became thing of a lightning rod for interior disapproval of Pope Francis.

"Obviously determination person been, successful the Church, radical who person looked to Benedict to opposition definite decisions that person been made by Pope Francis," Archbishop Gallagher told the BBC. But helium added that the 2 pontiffs had had an fantabulous relationship.

Archbishop Gallagher, the Vatican's overseas secretary, besides acknowledged that events of the past week had changed the equation to perchance let Pope Francis to see his ain status much freely.

"If we had 3 Popes, that would beryllium a small spot hard to manage. But present that Pope Benedict has gone to the Lord, I deliberation that Pope Francis volition instrumentality to those principles that helium has established - that helium volition proceed successful this ministry arsenic agelong arsenic helium believes that helium is capable," helium said, adding that helium did not deliberation a determination astir stepping down was successful immoderate mode imminent.

During the past 3 days of lying successful state, mourners travelled from each implicit the satellite to wage their respects to the erstwhile Pope.

One Catholic pilgrimage organiser who travelled to Rome with his household to wage his respects described the acquisition of entering the basilica arsenic "beautiful" and "humbling".

Speaking to the BBC, Mountain Butorac described Benedict arsenic a "very gentle" and "humble" man, who had been similar a "papal grandfather" to him.

Another mourner, Father Callistus Kahale Kabindama, a clergyman from Zambia, told Reuters quality bureau Benedict had been "a large Pope, a marvellous Pope".

But Benedict was a arguable fig who was criticised by immoderate for failing to adequately tackle allegations of clerical intersexual abuse.