The body of Pope Francis, laid out in an open coffin, was carried in a solemn procession from his residence within the walls of the Vatican City to St Peter’s Basilica.

Cardinals, priests, friars and Swiss Guards walked slowly into the vast, sunlit esplanade as a male choir chanted psalms and prayers in Latin while the great bells of the basilica tolled.

The body of the 88-year-old pope, who died two days ago in his rooms at the Santa Marta guesthouse after suffering a stroke, was held aloft on a wooden platform by 14 pallbearers.

“Dear brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow we now accompany the mortal remains of our Pope Francis to the Vatican Basilica,” said Irish-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell at the start of the ceremony.

As the coffin crossed St Peter’s Square, a crowd of several thousand broke into repeated applause – a traditional Italian sign of respect at such events.

Pope Francis, who spent five weeks in hospital earlier this year being treated for double pneumonia, last appeared in public on Sunday, when he surprised the crowds gathered by being driven around the packed square in his white, open-topped pope-mobile.

His body is lying in state in St Peter’s Basilica until Friday evening, allowing the faithful to pay their respects.

“He’s like a member of the family. Somebody very close to our hearts, somebody who made the church very accessible to everybody and inclusive to everybody,” said Rachel Mckay who was in the square.

His funeral is set for Saturday and will draw heads of state and government from around the world, including US President Donald Trump, who clashed repeatedly with the pope on social issues.

President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tanáiste Simon Harris are all expected to attend.

Leaders from Italy, France, Germany, Britain, Ukraine, EU institutions and Francis’s home country of Argentina have also confirmed their attendance.

At least 200,000 people are expected to attend the outdoor service, the head of Italy’s civil protection agency, Fabio Ciciliano, told the Corriere della Sera newspaper.

After the funeral, Pope Francis’s coffin will be brought to his favourite church, Rome’s papal basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where his coffin will be interred and marked by a simple inscription: Franciscus.

He will become the first pope in more than 100 years to be buried outside the Vatican.

Italy is preparing for a major security operation for the funeral, with the weekend already due to be busy because of the public holiday on Friday 25 April.

Five days of national mourning were declared – longer than the three days observed for Pope John Paul II in 2005, but less than the week declared for Francis by his native Argentina.

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said authorities were expecting between 150 to 170 foreign delegations, and tens of thousands of people.

A conclave to choose the new pope is not expected to start before 6 May, with cardinals now flocking to Rome only due to decide the date following what are often prolonged discussions.

In the meantime, in the period known as the “sede vacante” (vacant seat) for the global Catholic Church, the camerlengo, Cardinal Farrell, is in charge of day-to-day affairs.

Only those under the age of 80 are eligible to vote for a pope in the conclave, which should begin no less than 15 days and no more than 20 after the death of the pope.

About 60 cardinals of all ages already in Rome met yesterday to choose the funeral date, in a so-called “general congregation”.

A second meeting is scheduled for this afternoon, led by Cardinal Farrell.

Images of Francis from Monday night lying in his open coffin inside the Casa Santa Marta chapel were published by the Vatican yesterday.

The unassuming pope, who eschewed pomp, was dressed in red papal vestments, with a mitre on his head and a rosary laced between his fingers.

Sister Maria Guadeloupe Hernandez Olivo, from Mexico, said it was “very hard, very sad” to hear news of his death.

“I did not expect it,” she said in St Peter’s Square, adding: “I believe he’s in a better place, no longer suffering, but I do feel this emptiness for our pastor.”