Some 250,000 mourners paid tribute to Pope Francis during a three-day memorial service, the Vatican said on the eve of his funeral.
World leaders and top officials will arrive in Rome on Friday for a massive gathering in St Peter's Square to mark his funeral Mass.
The last mourners had the opportunity to see the Pope up close in the majestic setting of St Peter's Basilica before the coffin was closed in private.
Among those arriving in Rome on Friday will be US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with the Prince of Wales also planning to attend the mass on behalf of his father, the king.
Among the distinguished visitors to the basilica was President Michael D. Higgins, who had arrived earlier in the day.
The leader of Catholics in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, predicted the funeral would be a “masterpiece” in the management of “big egos”.
A Vatican spokesman confirmed that priority would be given to Francis's home country of Argentina, then Italy.
The reigning monarchs will then take their seats “in alphabetical order, but in French”, followed by the heads of state.
The Irish delegation will have precedence over Prince William and the UK Government delegation in the official order of precedence as it is led by the Head of State, Mr Higgins.
It will be between groups from Indonesia and Iceland, which are also led by heads of state.
He is followed shortly after in the category reserved for crown princes by Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway, and William.
The UK government delegation includes Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria, as well as Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
US President Donald Trump and his wife, First Lady Melania, will take their seats ahead of the Irish and British delegations, between Estonia and Finland.
Cardinal Nichols, who will attend his first conclave to elect a new pope in the coming weeks, said funeral organizers were well aware of the sensitivity of such significant events.
In an interview with the PA news agency in Rome, he said the funeral would be “certainly another masterpiece of direction, given that state leaders have a high opinion of their own importance.”
He noted: “In the past, I have noticed more than once that Rome and the Holy See are masters in resolving such important issues.
“I think they’ve been doing this since the time of the Roman emperors – they know how to deal with big egoists.
“And I am confident that every leader who comes here on Saturday will leave with satisfaction.”
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