The coffin of Pope Francis was sealed during a private ceremony held at St Peter’s Basilica following public viewing attended by approximately 250,000 mourners, which concluded on Friday.

Led by Cardinal-Camerlengo Kevin Farrell, the ceremony commenced with the reading of a document detailing the life of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, including his key milestones as the 266th Pope. The document, as reported by the Vatican Official News agency, highlighted that Pope Francis's legacy “remains in the heart of the Church and of all humanity.”

Notable milestones included his time in Germany during the late 1980s and his diverse contributions in Argentina. The document described him as “a simple and beloved pastor in his archdiocese, who traveled extensively, even by metro and bus. He lived modestly in a flat and prepared his own meals, embodying the life of an ordinary person.”

After the reading, Archbishop Diego Ravelli covered Pope Francis's face with a white silk cloth, and Cardinal-Camerlengo Farrell blessed the Pope with holy water. A bag containing coins and medals from his pontificate was placed in the coffin, as reported by Vatican News.

The zinc coffin lid was then sealed, along with Pope Francis’s cross, coat of arms, and a plaque inscribed with his name, life span, and duration of his papacy, all while psalms were sung.

Since Wednesday, Pope Francis’s body had been lying in state at St Peter’s Basilica, drawing crowds estimated at 250,000 over the past three days. The Basilica emptied on Friday night after mourners paid their respects.

Hundreds have already begun gathering in St Peter’s Square for the Solemn Requiem Mass, which will be attended by dozens of heads of state, reigning monarchs, and other dignitaries.

The funeral mass is scheduled to start at 10:00 am Vatican time, followed by the burial of Pope Francis in a tomb at the Basilica of St. Mary Major. The tomb, crafted from marble sourced from the land of his Italian grandparents, will serve as his final resting place.

Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88.