Catholics will on Monday be capable to pay their respects within the Vatican to former pope Benedict XVI, whose physique will lie in state for 3 days at St Peter’s Basilica earlier than his funeral.

Learn extra: 2 helicopters collide mid-air over Australian seashore, passengers damage

The German theologian, who died on Saturday aged 95, led the Catholic Church for eight years earlier than changing into the primary pope in six centuries to step down in 2013.

His successor Pope Francis will lead the funeral on Thursday within the huge St Peter’s Sq., earlier than his stays are laid to relaxation within the tombs beneath St Peter’s Basilica.

Benedict died on the Mater Ecclesiae monastery contained in the Vatican gardens, which had been his dwelling for the previous decade.

His physique will early Monday be transferred to the basilica the place, for 3 days in the course of the daytime, the devoted will be capable to say goodbye.

The Vatican on Sunday launched images of his corpse, wearing purple papal mourning robes and sporting a gold-edged mitre on his head, on a catafalque within the monastery chapel.

Learn extra: 1,667= 30,000? Police constable examination in Pakistan amid unemployment disaster

Benedict’s shock resignation created the extraordinary scenario of getting two “males in white” — him and Francis — on the Vatican.

His funeral can even break new floor.

Papal deaths normally set off the calling of a conclave of cardinals to elect a successor, however this time Francis stays in submit, and can lead proceedings.

Benedict’s funeral can be “solemn however easy”, the Vatican has mentioned, after which he can be buried within the papal tombs below St Peter’s Basilica.

The Vatican has but to launch particulars of the visitor listing, past saying that it’s going to embody delegations from Italy and Benedict’s native Germany.