A large crowd has gathered in front of St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican
Tributes have been pouring in for Pope Francis from around the world.
The pontiff had been ill for several weeks, but appeared in public yesterday to give an Easter Sunday blessing in St Peter’s Square.
Yesterday, he also briefly met US Vice-President JD Vance, who shared his condolences this morning.
But if you’re just joining us, here’s what's been happening today:
Pope Francis dies aged 88
The Pope died at his Vatican residence at 07:35 CEST (06:35 BST), the Vatican said in a statement released at about 09:45 CEST.
World leaders pay tribute
There has been a flurry of tributes from global leaders, with King Charles III, the UK's Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and a White House statement among a chorus of voices praising his leadership.
Mourners gather in the Vatican
Crowds are gathering outside St Peter's Basilica, in Vatican City, where one BBC reporter saw people crying in the street.
What happens next?
As we've been reporting, the Pope's funeral will be less elaborate than that of previous pontiffs, as he had recently approved plans to make the event much simpler.
Some 138 Catholic cardinals will vote for Pope Francis’s successor in an election – known as a conclave – which is held in secret inside the Sistine Chapel.
