Vatican shares first images of Pope Francis in open coffin

The latest news on Vatican City. The Vatican has released the first solemn images of Pope Francis lying in repose inside the private chapel of Casa Santa Marta, the residence where he spent his final years.

Draped in red vestments and a bishop's mitre, his body rests in an open wooden coffin with a rosary delicately placed in his hands. These images, captured shortly after his passing, marked the start of the mourning period. You can read more about his passing here.

Francis, who died at 88 following a stroke, had long expressed a wish for a humble farewell, and his burial at the Basilica of St Mary Major will reflect this request. Cardinals have already begun funeral preparations, following the procedures he himself had laid out.