Marcos, world leaders converge for Pope's funeral

Heads of state and royalty have started converging on Rome on Friday for the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican's St. Peter's Square amid tight security, but the group of poor people who will meet his casket in a small crosstown basilica are more in keeping with Francis' humble persona and disdain for pomp.

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U.S. President Donald Trump and Argentine President Javier Milei were among the leaders who were expected to arrive on Friday, the last day the Argentine pope would lie in state in St. Peter's Basilica before his coffin would be sealed in the evening in preparation for his funeral on Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m.

The Vatican said 130 delegations are confirmed, including 50 heads of state and 10 reigning sovereigns.

Paying respects

Tens of thousands of mourners have waited hours in line to bid farewell to Francis, who died Monday after suffering a stroke at the age of 88. A higher-than-expected turnout prompted the Vatican to extend the basilica's opening hours overnight more than 90,000 mourners had filed past Francis' open coffin placed in front of the basilica's main altar - at times praying, at times holding smart phones aloft for a photo of the late pontiff laid out in red robes, a bishop's pointed miter and a rosary entwined in his hands.

Emanuela Bisco took the day off work to pay her last respects to Francis, as she had 20 years ago for St. John Paul II.

Francis "was the pope of the forgotten, who was close to the simplest people, the homeless who were not pushed away," Bisco said. "I hope that the next pope will be at his level, and continue his struggles, his openness, everything that he did."

Cardinals meet

The work of the conclave to choose a new pope won't start until at least May 5, after nine days of public mourning.

Cardinals have been also been arriving in Rome, with 113 meeting Thursday morning to discuss church business. They will meet again Friday before taking a break for the weekend.