VATICAN CITY (AP) – Heads of state and royalty will begin arriving in Rome on Friday for the funeral of Pope Francis, who will lie in state in the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square. In contrast to the high-profile visitors, a group of poor individuals will meet the pope’s casket at a small basilica, reflecting Francis’ humble nature and aversion to extravagance.

Notable leaders scheduled to attend include U.S. President Donald Trump and Argentine President Javier Milei. Pope Francis will be in public view for the last day, with his coffin set to be sealed Friday evening ahead of the funeral on Saturday. The Vatican has confirmed a total of 130 delegations, including 50 heads of state and 10 reigning sovereigns.

Tens of thousands of mourners have already lined up for hours to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88 following a stroke on Monday. The unexpectedly high turnout led the Vatican to extend the opening hours of St. Peter’s Basilica overnight.

As of Thursday evening, more than 90,000 individuals had paid their respects, gathering around the open coffin placed at the basilica’s main altar. Mourners prayed or held up smartphones to capture images of the late pontiff, dressed in red robes, with a bishop’s miter and a rosary in hand. Emanuela Bisco took a day off work to honor the pope, recalling how she did the same two decades ago for St. John Paul II. Bisco emphasized that Francis was “the pope of the forgotten,” advocating for the marginalized and less fortunate.

Meanwhile, cardinals have started arriving in Rome as well, with a recent meeting of 113 discussing essential church matters. They plan to reconvene on Friday, pausing for the weekend before intensifying their preparations for the conclave that will select Francis' successor. “We are getting ready, but we still have not entered into the more intense phase. We are in the organizational phase,” stated Italian Cardinal Fernando Filoni.

In line with Pope Francis’ commitment to social justice, the Vatican announced that a group of impoverished individuals will pay homage to him during the arrival of his casket at St. Mary Major Basilica for burial on Saturday. The tomb is being carefully prepared behind a wooden barrier in the basilica and is located near an icon of the Virgin Mary that the pope held in high regard, as detailed in his final wishes. The simple marble tombstone features the engraving “Franciscus” as requested by the late pope.

International dignitaries confirmed to attend the funeral alongside President Trump include:

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska
• French President Emmanuel Macron
• British Prime Minister Keir Starmer
• Prince William
• Spanish King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia
• Hungarian President Viktor Orbán
• Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

As the world prepares to say goodbye to Pope Francis, his legacy of compassion and service to the marginalized is celebrated by many who mourn his passing.