A conclave to choose a new pope normally takes place 15 to 20 days after the death of a pontiff, meaning this conclave should not start before May 6.

The public viewing of Pope Francis' casket is scheduled to resume Thursday, a day after it began with numbers that were so strong that the Vatican said it would consider longer hours to meet the demand.

Tens of thousands of people have paid their respects to Pope Francis whose remains continue to be held in state at the Vatican. Thousands more people are still expected to visit the late pontiff as the viewing hours at St Peter’s Basilica were extended overnight to allow more mourners to see his remains.