Cardinals entered St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday to celebrate a final Mass before the conclave to elect the next pope. The Mass precedes the secretive, ritual-filled process to find a new leader of the Catholic Church following the novel pontificate of Pope Francis.

The body of Pope Francis was transferred to St. Peter's Basilica to lie in state for three days so the Catholic faithful and others can pay their respects.

The nine-day mourning period following the death of Pope Francis officially ended on Sunday with a ceremonial Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. The Vatican began its traditional “novemdiales” on April 26,