VATICAN CITY — As pilgrims and world leaders alike prepare to say goodbye to Pope Francis at his funeral Saturday, Rome is racing to get ready.

First Minister Michelle O'Neill will travel to Rome to attend the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday. She will join political leaders including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin and Scotland's First Minister John Swinney at the ceremony.

Heads of state and royalty will start converging on Rome on Friday for the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square, but the group of poor people who will meet his casket in a small crosstown basilica are more in keeping with Francis’ humble persona and disdain for pomp.