Vatican declares nine days of mourning for pope from Saturday

There will be prayer events every day at St Peter's Basilica for the so-called "novemdiales", which will last until May 4.

The announcement came as Catholic cardinals met to discuss the next steps following the death of the Argentine pontiff on Monday aged 88.

No date has yet been set for the conclave, the secret meeting of cardinals aged under 80 to elect a new pope.

But it has to take place between 15 and 20 days after the pontiff's death.