Pope Benedict XVI: Approximately 200,000 people attend the lying in state.

According to the Vatican, nearly 200,000 people paid their respects to former Pope Benedict XVI during his three-day lie-in.

His body has been placed in a coffin in preparation for his funeral on Thursday.

According to the Vatican, Pope Francis will preside over the funeral, marking the first time in over 220 years that a sitting Pope has led his predecessor’s funeral.

The former Pope died on New Year’s Eve at the age of 95, nearly a decade after stepping down due to health issues.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend the funeral, which will begin at 9:30 a.m. local time in St. Peter’s Square in front of St. Peter’s Basilica (8:30 GMT).

According to the Vatican, the event will be marked by simplicity, as Benedict requested.

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