Photo credit: www.theguardian.com
Key events
The Vatican’s YouTube channel is prepared to broadcast the funeral, making it accessible to audiences worldwide.
Here’s where you can catch live coverage of the pope’s funeral in the UK, as reported by the PA news agency:
On BBC One, newsreader Reeta Chakrabarti will anchor the coverage, starting a special program at 8:30 AM on Saturday, which will continue until 12:30 PM.
Sky News will have presenter Anna Botting live from Rome, featuring commentary by former governor of Edinburgh Castle, Maj Gen Alastair Bruce of Crionaich. Their broadcast kicks off at 7 AM and is set to last until 1 PM, with Sky News Europe correspondent Adam Parsons reporting from St Peter’s Square, and specialist correspondent Lisa Holland from Via della Conciliazione, the main road leading to the square.
ITV has announced that it will provide a live stream on its online platform ITVX throughout the day.
The Vatican reported on Friday that over 150,000 individuals had already paid their final respects to Pope Francis, whose body has been lying in state in St Peter’s Basilica prior to the funeral.
Between 11 AM (9 AM GMT) on Wednesday and noon on Friday, more than 150,000 mourners visited Francis’s body, according to a Vatican official.
The populace gathered in front of the late Pope Francis’ coffin in St Peter’s Basilica, reflecting the profound impact he had during his papacy.
Pope Francis, who was born to Italian immigrants in Argentina, emphasized the importance of advocating for refugees from the outset of his papacy. His first pastoral trip beyond Rome took him to the isolated island of Lampedusa in July 2013.
This small island had become a focal point for human trafficking as migrants sought to cross the Mediterranean from North Africa.
In a move seen as both spontaneous and symbolic, Francis visited the island following tragic migrant drownings, drawing expressions of support from residents who found his visit unexpected yet significant.
The journey was more than a mere gesture; it signified the start of Francis’s dedication to serving the marginalized and advocating for the impoverished.
During his visits to places like Lampedusa and, later, Lesbos, the pope sought to bring attention to both the living and those who lost their lives in dangerous crossings. “Who wept for these people who were aboard the boat?” he poignantly asked, reminding society of its duty to remember those affected. “We are a society that has forgotten how to cry.”
He later shared how the tragedy he witnessed during his Lampedusa visit prompted him to embark on a journey to amplify the narratives of refugees and foster hope among them.
Serie A has announced the postponement of three scheduled fixtures on Saturday in honor of Pope Francis‘s funeral in Rome. Additionally, Italy’s Women’s Six Nations match against Wales is also likely to be rescheduled as the nation prepares to pay tribute.
Reports prior to this announcement indicated that Serie A might consider allowing Inter to host Roma, giving Simone Inzaghi’s team extra rest ahead of their midweek Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, but it was confirmed that the match will now take place on Sunday at 2 PM (all times BST).
Lazio’s match against Parma in Rome, originally scheduled for Saturday, is now set for Monday at 7:45 PM, while Como’s home game against Genoa will occur on Sunday at 11:30 AM. Additionally, Serie A postponed its Easter Monday fixtures after the pope’s death, rescheduling those games for Wednesday. Italy’s National Olympic Committee has also requested the cancellation of all sporting events planned for Saturday.
Pope Francis made headlines last April when he chose to simplify the rituals associated with papal funerals, enabling a pope to be “laid out and buried like any son or daughter of the church.” As he himself articulated, he desired a ceremony to be conducted “with dignity, but not on cushions,” feeling that traditional customs were excessively ornate.
The typical procedure for papal funerals involves three coffins, with the pope’s body placed in a cypress wood coffin, then enclosed in a lead coffin, and finally placed inside an oak coffin. In contrast, Francis expressed his wish for a single, simple wooden coffin lined with zinc.
Timetable
Below is the schedule for Pope Francis’ funeral taking place on Saturday, along with subsequent events, all in local time:
10 AM: The funeral mass commences, led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the college of cardinals.
According to Francis’s final wishes, he will be interred at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome’s Esquilino neighbourhood, breaking with established Vatican customs.
Public access to Pope Francis’s tomb at the Roman basilica will commence “as early as Sunday morning,” as announced by Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni.
A conclave to elect a new pope typically occurs 15 to 20 days following the death of a pontiff, meaning it would not likely begin before May 6. The exact date will be established by the cardinals after Francis’s funeral.
Opening summary
The funeral of Pope Francis will take place today at St Peter’s Square, with numerous world leaders and royals, including Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, Donald Trump, and the Prince of Wales in attendance.
The pope, leader of the global Catholic community comprising 1.4 billion adherents, passed away at his Vatican residence on Monday at the age of 88 following a stroke. He had been in recovery from a severe case of pneumonia that necessitated a five-week hospital stay.
The funeral mass is set to begin at 10 AM local time, conducted by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, in what is anticipated to be a solemn and poignant ceremony.
In the lead-up to Francis’s funeral, large crowds have gathered to pay their respects, with his body laid in state in an open wooden coffin at St Peter’s Basilica since Wednesday morning. By Friday morning, over 130,000 individuals had visited the coffin.
As stated in his final testament, he is set to be buried at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome‘s Esquilino neighbourhood, diverging from historical Vatican practices.
He wished for a burial “in the ground, without particular decoration” but with his papal name inscribed in Latin: Franciscus.
The expenses of his burial arrangements will be provided by a benefactor, a detail Francis included in his will.
Approximately 50,000 mourners attended the funeral of Francis’s predecessor, Pope Benedict, which took place in St Peter’s Square in January 2023.
Updates from Pope Francis’s funeral will be continuously provided through this live blog.
Source
www.theguardian.com