Huge crowds gather ahead of Francis' funeral

VATICAN: The Vatican was making final preparations yesterday for Pope Francis' funeral as the last of the huge crowds of mourners filed through St Peter's Basilica to view his open coffin.

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Many of the 50 heads of state and 10 monarchs attending today’s ceremony in St Peter's Square, including US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, were expected to arrive yesterday in Rome.

Italian and Vatican authorities have placed the area around St Peter's under tight security with drones blocked, snipers on roofs and fighter jets on standby.

Further checkpoints were to be activated yesterday night, police said.

Vast crowds of people yesterday morning packed Via della Conciliazione, the wide avenue leading to the Vatican, for the third and final day of the pope's lying-in-state.

Over 128,000 people have already queued to pay their last respects to Pope Francis, whose coffin will be closed at 8pm in a ceremony attended by senior cardinals.