Pope Benedict XVI : Around 200,000 people attend lying in state

Almost 200,000 people paid homage to former Pope Benedict XVI during his lying in the state over the last three days.

His body has been sealed in a coffin ahead of his funeral n Thursday. Pope Francis will preside over the funeral-the first time a sitting Pope has led his predecessor’s funeral in over 220 years.

The former Pope died on New Year’s Eve at the age of 95, almost a decade after standing own because of ill health. Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend the funeral in Sl Peter’s square in front of St.Peter’s Basilica.