AMNA NAWAZ: The Catholic faithful and many# more around the world continue to pay their## respects today to Pope Francis one day# after his death.

An official period of## mourning began in Italy that will last through# his funeral this weekend, as security ramps up## to prepare for the throngs of mourners and# world leaders expected to gather in Rome.

Malcolm Brabant reports once# again from Rome tonight.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Lying in an open coffin# under the watchful eye of Swiss guards,## this was Pope Francis' silent farewell to the# humble Vatican guesthouse that had been his home.

Tomorrow, his coffin will be# taken to St. Peter's Basilica,## where he will lie in state and the faithful# will come to pay their respects.

Today,## a gathering of cardinals announced that# his funeral would take place on Saturday.

Consistent with his humility, Pope Francis# asked not to be interred in the Vatican,## but in a beautiful church in Rome called Santa# Maria Maggiore in a simple wooden casket.

CARDINAL GIANFRANCO RAVASI, President#Emeritus, Pontifi... especially remembering that he wants to# be buried under the shadow of a woman,## in this case Mary.

This is also significant in# terms of the church's desire to do more for women.

MALCOLM BRABANT: The conclave to elect his# successor will take place three weeks later## in the exquisite Sistine Chapel.

Although,# theoretically, the selection process could## take months, experts predict the cardinals# will reach a conclusion relatively swiftly,## as in recent times, in order to present# a unified face to the Catholic world.

Although the conclave to elect the new pope# is not going to begin until the middle of May,## behind the scenes, the debate amongst the# cardinals has begun in earnest.

Those over 80## are barred from taking part in the election, but# Vatican watchers are certain that they are using## their influence to try to pressure their# younger colleagues to bend to their will.

DAVID WILLEY, Author, "The Promise of Francis:# The Man, the Pope, and the Challenge of Change": I## think this is going .. very strong debate in secret in the# Vatican over the next three weeks## between those cardinals who would be# happier to see a more traditionalist## pope take over from Francis and those# who want his reforms to continue.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Author of "The Promise# of Francis," David Willey is a renowned## Vatican expert, having covered# eight papacies.

While conservatives## within the Catholic hierarchy seek a# return to traditional strict values,## Willey believes that, if the church wants to# remain relevant, it can't turn the clock back.

DAVID WILLEY: For most ordinary people,# the issues at stake are pretty simple,## contraception, homosexuality, abortion.

These# are all issues which affect all families.

And I think that the church is# going to have to deal with them## on a much more human level than in the# past, when it's tended to be dogmatic.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Although conservatives remain# influential, Willey doubts they will muster a## majority among the 135 cardinals# eligible to vote in the conclave.

DAVID WILLEY: It's only fair to say that more# than 100 of the cardinals who were taking part## in the election were appointed by Pope Francis# himself.

So the chances are that you're going## to get somebody who is very much in tune with# the sort of papacy that we have just witnessed.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Across Africa, where Catholicism# is surging, nearly 300 million people are hoping## that the conclave will elect an African pope.# Africa is more conservative than Europe.

Religious## leaders there believe that a liberal agenda# has contributed to the demise of the church.

Geoffroy Kouakou rector of Lady of Peace# Basilica in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast.

RECTOR GEOFFROY KOUADIO KOUAKOU, Basilica of Our# Lady of Peace (through translator): We pray to## God that the new pope who will come.. decisions against everything that is being spread# in the name of globalization and civilization.

JEAN LUC GBERE, Catholic# Worshiper (through translator):## So, for the next pope who will come, my# greatest wish is that he be a Black .. MALCOLM BRABANT: As funeral# preparations gather pace,## Catholics are assessing Francis'# legacy of groundbreaking leadership.

BISHOP PAUL TIGHE, Secretary, Vatican Dicastery# for Culture and Education: I think he has## helped the church to remember, yes, we are an# institut.. We're a community of people who# are privileged to have belief in## God and who journey with others who# don't necessarily have that faith.

But we journey together to try and# make this a better world.

And that## I think is his legacy.

It's to say look# your faith is something that should push## you and encourage you to be working with# others for the betterment of our world.

MALCOLM BRABANT: He was the first pope to endorse# same-sex civil unions and called for the universal## decriminalization of homosexuality.

And while he# raised women's profile within the church, Pope## Francis maintained the status quo by ensuring the# priesthood remained an exclusively male preserve.

While his orders outraged# conservative traditionalists,## others argued that he didn't go far enough.# Pope Francis also infuriated Israel,## because of his opposition to the war in# Gaza and his support for the Palestinians.

But, today, in one of the most# important shrines in Christendom,## the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in# Jerusalem, patriarch Pierbattista## Pizzaballa paid tribute to Pope Francis# for advocating peace right until his death.

CARDINAL PIERBATTISTA PIZZABALLA, Latin# Patriarch, Jerusalem: With the beginning## of the war 7th of October, the.. he was very close to the community of Gaza, the# parish of Gaza.

He kept calling the evening of## 7th, became for the community something stable# and also comforting for them.

And he knew this.

MALCOLM BRABANT: But those thoughts# aren't shared by the Israeli government,## which deleted an online post offering# condolences on the pontiff's passing.## In death, it seems, Francis is still# having an impact in the Middle East.

For the "PBS News Hour" I'm# Malcolm Brabant in Rome.