Rome mourns one of its favourite sons.

The Italian capital has declared a day of mourning today, 5 November, in honour of Gigi Proietti, the celebrated Roman actor, director and comedian who died earlier this week on his 80th birthday.

• Gigi Proietti dies in Rome

Ahead of Proietti's funeral at midday, a cortege is visiting the city hall and some of the places dearest to his heart, including the Brancaccio Theatre on Via Merulana and the Globe Theatre in Villa Borghese.

Le braccia spalancate che abbracciano il suo pubblico e tutta @Roma, lo sguardo sorridente e luminoso in una delle sue repliche di “Cavalli di Battaglia”, qui da noi. È il nostro omaggio a #GigiProietti, proiettato domani, lutto cittadino, sulla cupola della Sala Sinopoli. pic.twitter.com/cwheMoNReh

— Auditorium PdM (@AuditoriumPdM) November 4, 2020

Proietti's funeral will take place in a private capacity, due to the covid-19 protocols, at the Chiesa degli Artisti in Piazza del Popolo. The ceremony will be screened live on RAI 3.

The day after Proietti's death the city announced that the Globe Theatre would be renamed in his honour.

• Rome to rename Globe Theatre after Gigi Proietti

This evening the Auditorium Parco della Musica will screen an image of Proietti, with his arms outstretched, greeting his beloved audience one last time.

Photo ANSA