The basilica is bathed in a hushed silence as mourners from across the globe make a slow, shuffling procession up the main aisle to pay their last respects.

Thousands gathered in Rome on Wednesday to pay their respects to Pope Francis, who will lie in state for three days at St. Peter's Basilica ahead of his funeral.

Pope Francis has died, setting off a historical process that will see a new pontiff elected by more than 100 cardinals during a secretive conclave held in the Vatican.

Leaders from around the globe paid tributes to Pope Francis after his death, with Liberal Leader Mark Carney calling him the 'world's conscience.'