The body of Pope Francis has been moved to St Peter's Basilica so that the faithful, gathering in tens of thousands, can pay their final respects ahead of his funeral on Saturday, according to Euronews.

The late pontiff, who died on Monday at the age of 88 from a stroke and heart failure, was transferred from the chapel of his residence in the Casa Santa Marta guesthouse on Wednesday morning.

Thousands of people came to watch the procession, which lasted around 40 minutes.

Pallbearers carried the simple wooden coffin on their shoulders into St Peter's Square and then into the basilica.

The coffin was flanked by members of the Swiss Guard, the Vatican's armed forces that protect the pope.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is running the Vatican temporarily until a new pope is elected, led the procession.

Once the casket reached the basilica, cardinals approached it, bowed and made the sign of the cross, followed by small groups of bishops, ushers, priests and nuns.

The doors of the church were then opened, and people began lining up to see the body of the pontiff lying in state.

The basilica will be kept open until midnight on Wednesday and Thursday to allow the faithful to mourn. The public mourning period will end on Friday at 7 pm local time, a day before the pope's funeral.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to pay tribute to Francis at St Peter's Basilica over this period.

According to Pope Francis' wishes, his casket was not placed on an elevated bier — as was the case with past popes — but simply on the main altar of the 16th-century basilica, facing the pews.

Italian police have tightened security for the viewing and the funeral, carrying out foot and horse patrols around the Vatican, where pilgrims continued to arrive for the Holy Year celebrations that Pope Francis opened in December.

World leaders are expected to attend the pope's funeral at 10 am on Saturday, including US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Cardinals are continuing their meetings this week to plan the conclave in which the pope's successor will be chosen.

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