Italian officials and Vatican leaders have been paying their respects to the Pope on Sunday 3rd April. Pope John Paul II’s body has been put lying in state in the Vatican to allow mourners to come offer their condolences and admiration for the late Pope who died on Saturday evening at 21.37 local time (19.37 GMT) aged 84.

The Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi as well as hundreds of cardinals, archbishops and dignitaries paid their respects to the late Pope John Paul II, whose body lay at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Sunday. The Pope's body was laid out on a plinth at the start of nine days of official mourning in the city state.

Earlier in the day 100,000 people gathered in and around St Peter’s Square in Rome for an open-air Mass to honour the Pontiff. As the Mass was given people waved pictures of the Pope, and every time that his face was shown on the giant screens, a huge round of applause was given.

Sunday’s Requiem Mass in St Peter’s Square was led by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who is seen as the second highest official in the Vatican. At the opening of the service Sodano prayed for the Pope’s soul, which was greeted with huge applause by the devoted crowd.

Cardinal Sodano said, "We entrust with confidence to the risen Christ, Lord of life and history, our beloved John Paul II who for 26 years guided the universal church as the successor of Peter."

Pope John Paul’s final message to the faithful pilgrims was read out: "Love converts hearts and gives peace."

Officials believe that approximately a million people will make their way to Rome in the following days to pay their respects for the loved Pope in what is quickly becoming an extraordinary tribute to John Paul II.

Across the world Catholic communities prayed and gave tributes in mourning and celebration of the Pope’s life. In the Pope’s homeland of Poland, vigils were held throughout the night as soon as the news was released regarding his passing away.

In Brazil – which holds the world’s largest Catholic population, seven days of national mourning has been announced. Even in Cuba – a communist country – three days of national mourning will be held in remembrance of John Paul II.

In the Philippines, which hold Asia’s largest number of Catholics, government officials were told to hang their flags at half-mast and a period of official mourning has been decided to be held from Monday until the Pope’s burial.

In addition, in Indonesia’s Nias Island, the place most devastated by last Monday’s earthquake, mourners gathered in the streets in prayer and gave their first Mass since the huge quake took place.

The UK political arena has also marked its respect for the Pope, after Prime Minister Tony Blair announced that he had postponed the announcement for the UK general elections, scheduled to take place on Monday afternoon, so that he could attend a memorial service for John Paul II.

On Monday 4th April the Pope’s body will be taken to St Peter’s Basilica for public viewing, and although a funeral date has not yet been set, it is not expected to take place before Wednesday.

It may be weeks before a successor is elected to lead the world’s 1 billion Catholics, however, for the moment Cardinal Chamberlain of the Roman Catholic Church, Eduardo Martinez Somalo will be in charge of the daily affairs of the Vatican.

On Sunday the Papal apartments were secured and sealed, and will not be reopened until the Cardinal’s elect a successor to John Paul II. Cardinals from across the world will soon be or are currently on their way to Rome, and they must meet no more than 20 days after the Pope’s death to elect a successor. A preliminary meeting has been scheduled to take place on Monday morning.