VATICAN CITY — Thousands flocked to the Vatican on Monday to pay their final respects to Pope Benedict XVI who died on Saturday.

A long queue formed around St Peter's Square at dawn for the former pope's lying in state. It comes ahead of his funeral on Thursday.

Pope Benedict XVI died on New Year's Eve at the age of 95, almost a decade after he stood down because of ill health.

Pope Francis will preside over Thursday's funeral — the first time that a Pope will be buried by his successor.

The Vatican says the service will be simple, solemn and sober.

The transfer of his body to St. Peter's Basilica, the largest Catholic church in the world that can accommodate tens of thousands of worshippers, took place at dawn on Monday.

The basilica, a masterpiece of architecture combining Renaissance and Baroque styles, completed in 1626, is also one of the holiest places in Christianity since it houses the tomb of Saint Peter, the first bishop of Rome.

Benedict XVI became the first Pope to resign in 600 years in 2013, citing ailing health.

His body will be displayed for three days in an open casket at St Peter's Basilica, with people allowed to pay their respects until 7 p.m. each evening.

The funeral will take place in St Peter's Square, before the Pope Emeritus is laid to rest in the tombs beneath the Basilica.

The Vatican released pictures of the body on Sunday, dressed in red papal mourning robes and wearing a gold-trimmed miter.

Tributes have poured in from around the world, and the funeral is expected to draw crowds of thousands.

The last papal funeral, that of Pope John Paul II in 2005, was one of the largest Christian gatherings in history, and drew an estimated four million people to Rome.

Arrangements for the service are not yet clear, as many of the traditions associated with the death of a serving Pope are not required - most notably the election of a successor.

Benedict asked that the funeral be marked by simplicity, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni told journalists.

Details of the guest list have not been released, but the Vatican has said that it will include delegations from Italy and Benedict's native Germany.

Pope Francis paid tribute to his "dearest" predecessor after his death.

US President Joe Biden lauded the former Pope's "lifetime of devotion to the Church", while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hailed him as "a great man whom history will not forget".

In Brazil, the largest Catholic nation in the world, incoming President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he wished "comfort to the faithful and admirers of the Holy Father".

Pope Benedict was a controversial figure, and some have criticized him for failing to tackle allegations of clerical sexual abuse. — Agencies