Pope Francis' death comes as Rome enters its Jubilee year, a special Catholic pilgrimage that takes place every 25 years. With more than 32 million pilgrims expected to visit Rome this year, plus millions of faithful and mourners, the Italian capital is packed.
Mountain Butorac, who runs Vatican pilgrimages, said he expected a larger international media presence than Pope Benedict XVI's funeral, but that the number of people attending would be similar. In 2005, Pope John Paul II's funeral attracted about 4 million people.
With more than 32 million pilgrims expected to visit Rome this year, plus millions of faithful and mourners, the Italian capital is packed.
Schedule of funeral ceremonies
Pope Francis' body was taken from his residence at Casa Santa Marta to St. Peter's Basilica on the morning of April 23. From there, the public will be able to pay their respects until midnight, continuing from 7 a.m. to midnight on April 24 and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on April 25. The ceremony of closing the coffin will take place at 8 p.m. on April 25.
The official funeral will be held at 10am on Saturday (April 26) in St Peter's Square. The ceremony will be open to the public, no tickets are required, but people will have to queue for security checks. After prayers and farewells, the coffin will be brought into the cathedral and then moved to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore - where Pope Francis has prayed many times in private - for burial.
St. Peter's Basilica
The funeral will mark the beginning of nine days of national mourning at the Vatican, ending on May 4. During this time, cardinals from around the world will arrive in Rome to prepare for the conclave to elect a new pope. By law, the conclave cannot begin before May 6.
On the first day of the conclave, there will be only one round of voting in the evening. On subsequent days, there will be two rounds of voting in the morning and two in the afternoon. After each round, the chimney of the Sistine Chapel will belch out smoke: black smoke to indicate that no pope has been elected, white smoke to indicate that a successor has been chosen. When the results are in, the new pope will appear before the public from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.
How to get to Rome
Rome has two international airports: Fiumicino (large and serves international airlines outside Europe) and Ciampino (serves low-cost airlines within Europe). From Fiumicino, the Leonardo Express runs direct to Termini central station every 15 minutes (cost 14 EUR/). Taxis from the airport to the city center cost a fixed 55 EUR (about 1,430,000 VND).
If you can't find a flight to Rome, you can land in Milan or Naples and take the high-speed train to Rome - it takes about 1 hour from Naples or 3 hours from Milan.
Where to stay during peak season?
The area around the Vatican, especially rione Prati or Campo Marzio, Piazza Navona are all within walking distance of St. Peter's Basilica. Metro Ottaviano near the Vatican is a good option if you are staying further away.
Due to the high demand, many hotels are charging quite high prices during this time. However, some mid-range hotels still have rooms available at reasonable prices if you book early and stay for a minimum of three nights. For example, Hotel Lancelot near the Colosseum is still holding its price at around 420 EUR (about 10,900,000 VND) for a three-night stay.
Hotel Lancelot is a good choice of accommodation if booked early.
Places to visit when visiting Rome this time
Although the Vatican will suspend most tourist activities during the funeral days (including the Vatican museums, gardens and chapels), Rome still has plenty of deeply Catholic sites to explore.
Castel Sant'Angelo, less than a 10-minute walk from St. Peter's Square, served as Pope Clement VII's fortress and refuge during the events of 1527. Three other important basilicas, San Giovanni in Laterano, Santa Maria Maggiore (where Pope Francis will be buried) and San Paolo Fuori le Mura, are also sacred sites worth visiting.
Castel Sant'Angelo
Santa Maria Maggiore - the burial place of Pope Francis
If you love Michelangelo's art, stop by the church of San Pietro in Vincoli to see the statue of Moses, or Santa Maria degli Angeli - a conversion of an ancient Roman bathhouse that Michelangelo redesigned into a church.
San Pietro in Vincoli
Santa Maria degli Angeli
If you have time, you can visit Castel Gandolfo, the traditional summer residence of the popes, now open to the public. In addition, the city of Viterbo, which was the seat of the Holy See in the 13th century, is also a place with a strong Church history and is famous for its hot springs.
Castel Gandolfo
