The cardinals met Tuesday in the Vatican's synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis' successor, as condolences poured in from around the world

Pope Francis's funeral will take place on Saturday at 10:00 local time (08:00 GMT) in front of St Peter's Basilica, the Vatican says. The date was decided after cardinals met in Vatican City on Tuesday morning to discuss the funeral's timing.

The pontiff’s death initiated a well-structured series of rituals designed to mourn the loss of the 1.3 billion-member church’s leader and to ensure stability with the selection of a new pope.

Throughout his 12-year pontificate, Francis was an advocate for the poor and many saw his papacy as the start of a new era for the Catholic church, marked by greater inclusion and acceptance.