Largest number of pilgrims in history at Vatican for Pope's funeral:

Pope's funeral on Friday

VATICAN CITY - The funeral of Pope John Paul II is to be held on Friday at 10:00 am (0800 GMT), Sky Italia television reported yesterday, after Cardinals came out of a meeting to discuss funeral arrangements.

The Vatican, which has not officially announced when the funeral will take place, said it would hold a news conference at 1:15 pm (1115 GMT).

Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni said city officials were preparing for the funeral Friday, which is expected to gather up to two million people and some 200 state and religious leaders.

"We are preparing for Friday, which will be an unprecedented moment," Veltroni said on Repubblica Radio.

The body of John Paul II, who died aged 84 Saturday, was to be brought to Saint Peter's basilica yesterday afternoon to lie in state for public viewing until Thursday.

Meanwhile, Roman Catholic Cardinals met yesterday for the first time since Pope John Paul's death to organise a funeral expected to draw the greatest tide of pilgrims and heads of state to the Vatican in its history.

The first General Congregation of Cardinals began meeting at 10.30 a.m. (4.30 a.m. ET) yesterday at the Bologna Hall of the Vatican's Apostolic Palace.

They were also expected to open any final documents the Pope may have prepared for them.

In addition, the Cardinals were expected to arrange the destruction of John Paul's papal ring and the dies used to make lead seals for apostolic letters - formal gestures meant to symbolise the end of his reign and to prevent forgeries.

The body of Pope John Paul who died on Saturday evening, the third-longest pontificate in history was taken to St. Peter's Basilica for public viewing.

The Pope's corpse, clad in crimson and white vestments, was put on view for the world by Vatican TV on Sunday. His face clearly showed signs of the physical suffering that racked him in the final days of his life.

The Vatican has not said if John Paul left instructions for his funeral or burial. Most Popes have asked to be buried below St. Peter's Basilica. But the Polish-born Pope might have wanted to be laid to rest in his homeland.

Within 20 days of John Paul II's death, Catholic Cardinals from across the globe will gather again to participate in a sacred ritual that, for many of them, could be a once-in-a-lifetime event: the election of a Pope.

Rome authorities are braced for as many as for 2 million mourners, including more than 100 heads of state, in the largest such event the city has seen.

"For us it is an extraordinary test, of the most tremendous importance." said Mayor Walter Veltroni. Police began erecting barricades around St. Peter's Basilica.

AFP, Reuters and CNN