Scots in Rome and at home prepare for Pope's funeral

Thousands of Scots are preparing to pay their final respects to Pope Francis ahead of his funeral in Rome.

First Minister John Swinney has travelled to the Italian capital for the Mass, where he will join Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Prince William, US President Donald Trump and scores of other dignitaries.

Paisley Bishop John Keenan, clergy and parishioners from across the country are also in Italy for the service, which will begin at 10:00 local time (09:00 BST). Many more will follow the funeral at home.

The leader of the Roman Catholic Church died on Easter Monday aged 88, after suffering a stroke.

Pope Francis, who was appointed in 2013, will be laid to rest in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, one of Rome's four major basilicas.

On Thursday the first minister, who described the pontiff as "a man who was always on the side of the poor", confirmed he would attend the service.

Swinney said: "His Holiness Pope Francis was a voice for peace, tolerance and reconciliation who had a natural ability to connect with people of all ages, nationalities and beliefs.

"On behalf of the people of Scotland, I am deeply honoured to attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome to express my sorrow, thanks and deep respect for the compassion, assurance and hope that he brought to so many."

The service will see a funeral procession accompanying the Pope's coffin to the square in front of St Peter's Basilica.

It will be led by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.

It will end with a final commendation - a concluding prayer where the pontiff will be formally entrusted to God.

Bishop John Keenan, of the Paisley Diocese, will be representing the Bishops' Conference of Scotland (BCOS) at the funeral, having met Pope Francis on several occasions.

He will be among hundreds of senior clergy among a vast crowd at St Peter's Square.

Bishop Keenan described Pope Francis, who was the first South American pontiff, as a "breath of fresh air."

He told BBC Scotland News: "The crowds are building and building and building.

"I'm used to Rome but I've never seen crowds like this.

"The atmosphere is sombre, there's a sense we've lost a father of the universal family, and there's a sense across the world that we've lost a fairly unique leader.

"But's it's positive as well - there's a gratefulness there too."

An array of world leaders and dignitaries will attend the service.

But thousands of ordinary Catholics have also arrived to pay their respects to a pontiff known for shunning many of the extravagant trappings associated with the position.

And many queued for hours earlier in the week to see Pope Francis lying in state in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.

Among them was Aidan McCall, 19, from East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire.

He decided to fly out within hours of learning of the Pope's death.

He said: "It was a last minute decision.

"I don't know where I'll be in life the next time an event like this happens, so I felt it was important to try and make it here."

Mr McCall and his friends are hoping to get into St Peter's Square for the funeral.

Tom Clarke, secretary of the Catholic Association at Glasgow University, had only just returned from an Easter trip to Rome with his family - where he saw Pope Francis in person - when he learned of the death.

He then flew back out to Italy on Friday to be there for the funeral.

Mr Clarke told BBC Scotland News: "Pope Francis is all I've known from a Catholic perspective.

"I think the testimony of lots of young people, including myself, at the funeral, is important to show to the world it's something that really means a lot to us.

"He needs our prayers as he's passed on from this life.

"It's a hard job and he will have struggled with that, so it's nice to go over and pay our dues to him."

Other Scots were already intending to be in Rome for the canonization of teenage saint Carlo Acutis.

It was scheduled for Sunday but has been postponed due to the death of Pope Francis.

John Patrick Mallon, of Catholic video production company Sancta Familia Media, said the city was already packed full of people, with "extraordinary security measures" put in place by the Italian government.

He said: "It's incredibly moving.

"Here we see thousands of people from all walks of life, and that's very uplifting to me.

"The atmosphere is more gratitude than sadness."

In Scotland many other Catholics will follow the funeral on TV, while a Requiem Mass for Pope Francis will be held at St Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh on Monday.

Flags on Scottish government buildings will also fly at half-mast during the funeral in honour of Pope Francis.