by Patrick Harrington -US Sun.

The Pope’s funeral is being rehearsed after the ailing Pontiff warned he may not survive this bout of pneumonia.

The Swiss Guard – the force tasked with protecting the Pope, 88 – has been rehearsing his funeral procedure and is reportedly “preparing for the pontiff’s death”.

Catholics are gathering near the hospital where he is being treated as fears for his health intensify, reported Swiss newspaper Blick.

However, the captain of the Swiss Guard, Christian Kühne, denied this report on Wednesday.

He told the Catholic news agency KNA: “We are continuing to work normally,” and stressed that regular service operations would continue unchanged.

The Pope has been staying in a special ward in Rome’s Gemelli hospital since Friday, where he was admitted after a week of suffering from bronchitis.

The Vatican revealed on Monday that he was battling a “complex clinical picture” which involved a “polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract”.

Officials clarified yesterday that he has been diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs.

Then, two people close to the Pontiff claimed Francis had confided to them that he “might not make it this time”, according to a report by Politico.

The sources also apparently said the Pope is suffering from intense pain and is “tying up loose ends” ahead of his successor.