Thousands of Catholic Christians and world leaders gathered on Saturday to bid farewell to Pope Francis, who chose a modest grave inside his favorite church in Rome as his final resting place.

The ceremonies began in the morning with religious chants and psalms according to tradition, as thousands assembled early in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican in preparation for the funeral.

Several world leaders, including former U.S. President Donald Trump, arrived in Rome to attend the event. The Vatican stated that 162 delegations confirmed their presence, including dozens of heads of state, government officials, and reigning monarchs.

After the funeral mass, the Pope’s casket will be transported to St. Peter’s Basilica , where a procession will begin for the burial. Tens of thousands of people are expected to line the six-kilometer route through central Rome, passing landmarks such as Piazza Venezia and the Colosseum , before reaching Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica , where Pope Francis will be laid to rest.

The funeral mass will be led by Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re in front of St. Peter’s Basilica . Following the mass, the Pope’s casket will be returned to St. Peter’s Basilica , from where the procession will depart for burial.

Over the past three days, approximately 250,000 people have visited the Pope’s remains, which were placed in a coffin before the altar of St. Peter’s Cathedral , a site dating back to the 16th century .