Cardinals entered St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday for a final Mass before the conclave to elect the successor to Pope Francis after his death last month.

The cardinals began the day by participating in a final pre-conclave Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. The dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, celebrated the Mass, which is meant to pray for cardinals to find the wisdom, counsel and understanding to elect a worthy new shepherd.

The body of Pope Francis has been moved from his Vatican residence to St Peter's Basilica to allow the faithful to pay their respects before his funeral on Saturday. The Pope's open coffin was carried by clergy on Wednesday morning in a solemn procession through St Peter's Square where thousands of worshippers had gathered.