Tens of thousands of pilgrims have arrived in Rome to mark the death of Pope Francis
Metres from the Vatican walls, a group of mourners tells the BBC's Mark Lowen the air is thick with emotion
The pontiff's funeral will take place at the Vatican on Saturday morning, with Prince William due to attend alongside dozens of world leaders - who else is going?
Earlier, the Vatican shared images of the Pope in an open coffin alongside further details of the funeral arrangements
On Wednesday, the Pope's body will be moved to St Peter's Basilica for public mourning - how the day will unfold
From Argentina to Nigeria, the Philippines to Rome, here are the latest reflections from our correspondents
Image source, Getty ImagesHundreds of people can be seen praying in unison in St Peter's Square in the Vatican - some are crying.
A number of people take it in turns to speak from a lectern to recite prayers.
Image source, Reuters
Image source, ReutersCrowds of mourners are gathered in St Peter's Square for a rosary prayer for Pope Francis.
Follow along by pressing watch live at the top of this page.
Image source, Getty ImagesWawel Cathedral, Krakow
As we've been reporting, in just a short while a prayer will be held in St Peter's Square.
Meanwhile, several masses have been held around the world paying tribute to the Pope.
Services are being held in Westminster Cathedral in London, Wawel Cathedral in Krakow, Washington DC's Basilica of the National Shrine and in Madrid's Almudena Cathedral.
Mass is a form of worship, held by a priest, usually including prayers.
Rupert Wingfield-Hayes
Reporting from the Vatican
When you ask people gathered in St Peter's Square what Pope Francis meant to them, you hear the same words over and over.
They speak of his humanity, of his warmth and of his moral leadership.
Wherever he went around the world he was greeted with tremendous enthusiasm, just as he was here yesterday, for his last public appearance.
Laura Gozzi
Reporting from the Vatican
Image source, Getty ImagesIn the next hour, a rosary prayer will be recited for the late Pope Francis.
As daylight shines down on St Peter's Square, crowds are gathering - we're expecting the prayer service to begin at 19:30 local time (18:30 BST).
Image source, Getty ImagesPeople pray in front of a portrait of Pope Francis in Chennai, India
The Pope's death has prompted an outpouring of grief from Catholics around the world. BBC reporters have been gathering some of the reaction:
South America
Pope Francis was from Argentina - but he never returned to the country after becoming Pope, with a friend of his telling the BBC that he felt he risked becoming a source of division there.
Africa
In the South Sudanese capital Juba, Nichola Mandil has been reflecting on Francis's efforts to achieve peace. Meanwhile, Nigeria's faithful - which make up 15% of the population - share their hopes for a papal visit from his successor.
Asia
The Philippines has the largest Catholic population in Asia and the third-biggest in the world - one archbishop said he had "made us feel the love of God". People in the region have also been recalling his 12-day tour last September, which took in countries including Singapore and Indonesia.
Middle East
In the occupied West Bank, Palestinian Christians tell the BBC what his visits and support meant to them.
Europe
Poland is one of the most religious countries on the continent, with more than 71% of people identifying as Catholic. Mourners gathered at Warsaw's main cathedral describe the pontiff as a "humble man", "special" and "open-minded".
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House
I'm currently standing on the South Lawn of the White House, where US President Trump has again paid tribute to Pope Francis, who died today aged 88.
Just a short while ago, Trump - presiding over an annual Easter celebration - announced that he signed an executive order ordering all flags to be flown at half mast in honour of the pontiff.
"He was a good man," the president said. "He worked and loved the world."
Asked what message he had for Catholics, Trump said "we love you all."
"We're here for you all," he said, adding that he feels "very badly" for those saddened by the Pope's death.
Will Vernon
Reporting from Warsaw
Image source, EPAI’m inside Warsaw's main Catholic cathedral, St John’s Archcathedral, where a large photo of Pope Francis has been placed at the altar.
Poland is one of the most religious countries in Europe, with more than 71% of people identifying as Catholic, and at least one third attending Mass weekly.
One of Francis’ predecessors, Pope John Paul II, hailed from Poland, and was canonised by Francis in 2014.
“He was special, he was open-minded,” says Natalia. “He didn’t say ‘this group is bad’… he taught everyone that God’s love is big, and that’s the point of being a Christian.”
Jadwiga says she was saddened to hear of the Pope’s death, and she had watched him the day before on television performing Easter mass in the Vatican.
"He was an extremely humble man. He didn’t wear expensive outfits. I hope the next Pope will be similar,” she says.
Laura Gozzi
Reporting from the Vatican
Here in St Peter's Square, the same large screen which broadcast the Pope's Easter Sunday blessing is now displaying a photo of him smiling.
Alongside it is a notice that tonight, at 19:30 local time (18:30 BST), a rosary will be recited in his memory.
Chris Ewokor
Reporting from Nigeria
For many Nigerian Catholics, news of Pope Francis's death has been a great shock.
The Catholic Church in Nigeria has thrown its doors open to worshippers wanting to mourn and pray.
In Nigeria, Catholics remain one of the dominant populations.
Over 30 million Nigerians are known to be Catholic, which is more than 15% of the country's population, meaning they are very influential, and some feel that the country should have been recognised with a papal visit.
It’s an unspoken feeling, but many faithful here would want a new Pope to consider visiting Nigeria.
One worshipper in Nigeria tells the BBC it's "very sad to lose a spiritual father". She adds that she "hopes we have a good selection of Pope who will do more than he did".
Another worshipper says: "I feel sad, I hope God will bring a better person to replace him".
Image source, Getty ImagesFollowing the death of Pope Francis, Cardinal Kevin Farrell became the acting head of the Roman Catholic Church - a role he will hold until a new pope is elected.
Cardinal Farrell announced the death of the Pope this morning.
Farrell is currently the "camerlengo" - the person who runs the Vatican from the death or resignation of one pope to the election of another.
He will also preside over the "rite of the confirmation of death" and place the Pope's body in a coffin.
Dublin-born Farrell attended the University of Salamanca in Spain and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
He was appointed Bishop of Dallas in 2007 before Pope Francis called on him to serve as the leader of the Vatican's new department responsible for the pastoral care of families and raised him to the rank of cardinal.
In 2019, Pope Francis nominated him Camerlengo of the Roman Catholic Church.
Vanessa Buschschlüter
Latin America digital editor
Image source, EPAThe Metropolitan Cathedral in Buenos Aires was packed with people wanting to pay their respects to the late Pope.
Pope Francis served as Archbishop of Buenos Aires from 1998 until he was elected Pope in 2013 and this cathedral was where he worshipped and celebrated many a Mass.
The faithful filed past a photo of a smiling Pope Francis placed on a black cloth.
Many kneeled throughout the Mass.
Image source, ReutersArchbishop of Buenos Aires Jorge García Cuerva told those attending that the best tribute they could pay to the Pope would be "to come together and stop confronting each other all the time".
"All of us have to be a bit more like Francis. We have to realise that the Church has to be a place for everyone, we can't discriminate against anyone or leave anyone out," he added.
17 December 1936: Jorge Mario Bergoglio is born in Buenos Aires, Argentina
March 1958: Enters the novitiate of the Society of Jesus, starting his period of candidacy to become a Jesuit priest
December 1969: Ordained as a Jesuit priest
May 1992: Appointed titular Bishop of Auca and Auxiliary of Buenos Aires
February 1998: Made Archbishop of Buenos Aires, a role he holds until March 2013
February 2001: Created Cardinal, and is assigned the title of San Roberto Bellarmino
April 2005: Takes part in the Conclave in which Pope Benedict XVI was elected
March 2013: Elected Supreme Pontiff, and installed as Pope Francis six days later, after Pope Benedict steps down
Image source, Getty ImagesHoly Mass being celebrated by the Pope with the College of Cardinals in Vatican City
The new Pope has to be chosen by the Catholic Church's most senior officials, known as the College of Cardinals.
All men, they are appointed directly by the Pope, and are usually ordained bishops.
There are currently 252 Catholic cardinals, 135 of whom are eligible to vote for the new Pope.
The others are over the age of 80, which means they cannot take part in the election, although they can join in the debate over who should be selected.
Tessa Wong and Annabelle Liang
Asia digital reporter and business reporter
Image source, EPAPope Francis posed for pictures with Nasaruddin Umar, the Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, last September
One of the last tours the Pope did before his death - and one of the longest - was a 12-day tour of Asia-Pacific last September.
He visited Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, Indonesia and Singapore, where he preached a message of inter-religious harmony.
Nasaruddin Umar, Indonesia's minister for religious affairs and the Grand Imam of the country's largest mosque, pays tribute to the Pope, saying they "cannot forget his services and friendship".
Singapore's Catholic Church says that during his visit the Pope had met young people from different faiths and "urged the youth of today to be courageous and open to feedback in order to have sincere dialogue with one another".
One Singaporean Catholic, Karen Cheah, says she was "completely taken by surprise" by the death of the Pope, given his recent public appearances.
"Pope Francis was not just a leader, but a moral compass and shepherd who guided us through uncertain times," she says.
Rosemary Muchai tells the BBC the Pope had "spoken out" against injustice in Africa
Outside the Holy Family Basilica in Nairobi, Catholics are remembering Pope Francis as a pontiff who "reached out" to Africa.
Francis visited several African countries during his papacy and spoke out against what he saw as injustices on the continent.
"He reached out to us and he brought changes. He reached out even to the places and situations where the political leaders would be oppressive to their people," Rosemary Muchai tells the BBC. "He would speak out. He has spoken out."
"Mostly, I remember Pope Francis for the message of love of the poor," says Belvin Musweti.
The Pope "always insisted that we also live according to the gospel, mostly showing our love to the poor and the marginalised in the community," he adds.
Cecilia Mwongeli says she will remember the Pope's emphasis on family and his message of hope. She says Pope Francis encouraged people to "be hopeful irrespective of the hard economic and life situations".
As we've been reporting, Catholics around the world are mourning the death of Pope Francis, including in Bangkok, Thailand, where many have gathered to pay their respects.
Image source, ReutersPrayers are held during a mass at Saint Louis Catholic Church in Bangkok
Image source, EPATwo women pray during a mass at the city's Holy Redeemer Church
Image source, ReutersA woman prays next to a statue of Pope Francis in the garden of the Saint Louis Catholic Church
Rebekah Wilson
BBC News NI
Image source, Getty ImagesIrish President Michael D Higgins has paid tribute to Pope Francis's focus on “vital issues of out time”.
“Pope Francis, in his important messages and in the presentation of his papacy with a unique humility, sought to show in the most striking and moving of ways the extraordinary importance of the spiritual as a powerful source of global ethics in the challenges of contemporary life,” Higgins says.
Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin describes the Pope as an "exceptional leader".
In a statement, he says the pontiff's "long and distinguished papacy was marked by his unwavering commitment to the principles of compassion, peace, and human dignity”.
Nichola Mandil
Reporting from Juba, South Sudan
Image source, Getty ImagesSouth Sudanese President Salva Kiir welcomed the Pope and Archbishop of Canterbury (pictured on the Pope's left) in 2023
During his last public appearance - on Easter Sunday - Pope Francis reminded his followers of the fighting in South Sudan.
The Pope had consistently tried to help broker peace in the country.
From his hospital bed, he wrote to the leaders of South Sudan, where an agreement that ended a gruelling civil war was fast collapsing.
According to South Sudan's presidency, the Pope urged political rivals President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Riek Machar to "prioritise peace, reconciliation and development".
He previously called for an end to conflict when he visited the country in 2023.
And six years ago, he shocked many by kneeling and kissing Kirr and Machar's feet as a way of appealing for unity.
Countries around the world have begun preparations to honour the legacy of Pope Francis, who died today aged 88.
Here's a look at some of the key events:
The Vatican will hold a public prayer service at 19:30 local time.
In Argentina - the Pope's home country - seven days of national mourning have been declared.
Brazil has also declared a week-long national mourning period, which President Lula says is in homage to his work.
In Austria, church bells will ring across the country at 17:00 local time. Black flags are also being hung from churches and clerical buildings. A requiem mass will be held for the Pope at Vienna’s St Stephen’s Cathedral at 18:00.
In the UK, royal residences will fly the Union Jack at half mast, in addition to the British embassy in the Vatican.
In Spain, three days of mourning have been declared.
In France, the bells at the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris rang out 88 times earlier today. This evening, the Eiffel Tower lights will be turned off.