The Vatican will make final preparations Friday for Pope Francis's funeral as the last of the huge crowds of mourners file through St Peter's Basilica to view his open coffin.

Many of the 50 heads of state and 10 monarchs attending Saturday's ceremony in St Peter's Square, who include US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, are expected to arrive on Friday in Rome.

Italian and Vatican authorities have placed the area around St Peter's under tight security ahead of the funeral, with drones blocked, snipers on roofs and fighter jets on standby.

Further check-points will be activated Friday night, police said.

Tens of thousands of people have already queued for hours to pay their last respects to Francis, whose coffin will be closed at 8:00 pm (1800 GMT) in a ceremony attended by senior cardinals.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo who is running the Vatican's day-to-day affairs until a new pope is elected, will preside over the so-called "Rite of the Sealing of the........

© International Business Times