SHOTLIST: ROME, ITALY (APRIL 24, 2025) (ANADOLU – ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF PAPAL BASILICA OF SAINT MARY MAJOR 2. VARIOUS OF BELIEVERS FLOCKING TO BASILICA UNDER SECURITY MEASURES, MOURNING POPE FRANCIS 3. VARIOUS OF CHRISTIANS GATHER AROUND PAPAL BASILICA OF SAINT MARY MAJOR UNDER POLICE SURVEILLANCE 4. VARIOUS OF VATICAN FLAG LOWERED TO HALF MASTROME, ITALY - APRIL 24: Preparations continued on Thursday, April 24, at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, where Pope Francis will be laid to rest in accordance with his will. Security barriers were placed outside the basilica, and the Vatican flag was lowered to half-mast, while mourners gathered at the site, which held deep personal significance for the late pontiff. Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires on December 17, 1936, to Italian immigrant parents, served as the head of the Catholic Church and Vatican City State for 12 years. He was known for his efforts to reform the Vatican bureaucracy, address corruption, and tackle global humanitarian challenges.​ He passed away on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88, due to a stroke followed by irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse, as confirmed by the Vatican's official medical report. Prior to his death, he had been hospitalized for 38 days with double pneumonia and other health complications, including acute respiratory failure, bronchiectasis, hypertension, and type II diabetes.​ In accordance with his wishes, Pope Francis will be buried at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, specifically in a burial niche between the Pauline Chapel and the Sforza Chapel. His funeral is scheduled for Saturday, April 26, and is expected to be attended by numerous dignitaries and global leaders.​ Writing by Aleyna Cil