Heads of state and royalty will start converging on Rome on Friday for the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square, 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.

The funeral will start at 10:00 a.m. (0800 GMT) on Saturday. Fabio Ciciliano, head of the national Civil Protection Department, said people might gather not only in St. Peter's Square but also along the 4 km (2.5 miles) separating the Vatican from Santa Maria Maggiore, on the other side of the Tiber.

President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina have travelled to Rome to attend the funeral of Pope Francis. They will pay their respects today at the lying-in-state of the late pontiff in St Peter's Basilica.