The funeral service for Pope Francis has begun this morning at St. Peter's Square, led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals. The ceremony opened with a solemn procession featuring priests carrying crosses, followed by the pope's coffin and ordained clergy.

The service is expected to last about two and a half hours and will conclude with prayers and a final commendation, formally entrusting Francis to God.

A massive security operation is in place, with 4,000 police officers deployed throughout Vatican City and Rome, according to the media. Today's funeral also marks the beginning of the Novemdiales, a nine-day mourning period, with a mass to be celebrated each day in Pope Francis' memory.