Leaders from across the globe are expected to attend the funeral of Pope Francis today (Saturday) as the world mourns and pays tribute to the widely-respected religious figurehead. Pope Francis, the 266th pontiff to lead the Holy See, will be honoured with a huge ceremony in St Peter's Square, in front of St Peter's Basilica, in the Vatican.

Pope Francis, champion of the poor and the Church's first Latin American leader, will be honoured Saturday with a funeral attended by world leaders and tens of thousands of Catholic faithful. The funeral sets off the first of nine days of official Vatican mourning for Francis,

Saturday’s funeral will kick off the traditional Novendiales, nine consecutive days of mourning for the suffrage of the late pope. He will be buried at the Basilica of St. Mary Major.