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Pope Francis’s funeral is scheduled for Saturday in St. Peter’s Square, as announced by Roman Catholic cardinals on Tuesday. The event is expected to be a poignant ceremony that will gather leaders from across the globe.
According to a statement from the Vatican, the public will have opportunities to pay their last respects to Francis at St. Peter’s Basilica starting Wednesday and continuing through Friday. The deceased pontiff, who passed away at the age of 88 on Monday, will be displayed in his coffin for mourners.
The funeral service will commence at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET) in St. Peter’s Square, presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the College of Cardinals.
On Wednesday at 9 a.m. local time, Francis’s body will be moved into the adjoining St. Peter’s Basilica in a procession led by the cardinals. It will be available for viewing by the public from 11 a.m. to midnight on Wednesday, 7 a.m. to midnight on Thursday, and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday.
Pope Francis, who was the first pope to hail from Latin America, passed away following a stroke and subsequent cardiac arrest, as reported by the Vatican. Earlier this year, he spent an extended period in the hospital due to double pneumonia but had shown signs of recovery, having appeared in St. Peter’s Square during Easter Sunday celebrations just weeks before his death.
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Pope Francis’s funeral to be held Saturday morning
On Monday, the Vatican also shared new images and footage displaying the Pope’s body resting in his private chapel at Casa Santa Maria. Reports detail that he experienced discomfort around 5:30 a.m. local time, receiving immediate assistance from his medical team. After bidding farewell to his devoted nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, he subsequently slipped into a coma.
The Vatican’s media outlet conveyed that the pontiff did not endure suffering, noting the rapidity of the events that unfolded. The official time of death was recorded at 7:35 a.m.
World leaders expected to attend funeral
On Tuesday, the Vatican released images of the Pope dressed in ceremonial vestments and lying in a wooden casket within the chapel of the Santa Marta residence, where he resided throughout his 12-year papacy. As dignitaries, including Italian President Sergio Mattarella, paid their respects, Swiss Guards stood guard by the casket.
Among the world leaders expected to attend are Javier Milei, the president of Argentina, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, former U.S. President Donald Trump, and French President Emmanuel Macron.
In an atypical move, Pope Francis indicated in his final testament released on Monday that he wished to be interred in Rome’s Basilica of Saint Mary Major rather than in St. Peter’s Basilica, the traditional resting place for many of his predecessors.
During his papacy, Francis focused on reforming the Vatican’s centralized administration and confronting long-standing issues such as corruption and the crisis of child abuse within the church. His progressive stance often brought him into conflict with conservative factions within the church who viewed his approach as too liberal, particularly regarding minority rights, including those of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
In response to his passing, longstanding Catholic traditions are now underway, as the vast 1.4 billion-member Church enters a transition period between popes. This includes the ceremonial breaking of the “Fisherman’s Ring” and the lead seal to ensure they cannot be used again.
Most voting cardinals were appointed by Francis
A conclave to elect a new pope typically convenes 15 to 20 days following the death of a pontiff, thus delaying any such discussions until after May 6. Currently, around 135 cardinals are eligible to partake in the confidential voting process, which can extend over several days.
WATCH | When Pope Francis was elected in 2013:
How a new pope is chosen | Conclave explained
The selection process for the new pope remains bound by ancient customs and enwrapped in secrecy. It is notable that Pope Francis appointed nearly 80 percent of the cardinals who will partake in the election, which raises the likelihood—though not a certainty—that his successor will uphold some of his progressive initiatives.
Francis’s approach has been characterized by selecting cardinals from regions where the Catholic Church is experiencing rapid growth, contrasting with the stagnation observed in many Western countries. Currently, European cardinals constitute 39 percent of electors, down from 52 percent in 2013. Cardinal electors from Asia and Oceania account for approximately 20 percent.
Many of the incoming cardinals are relatively unknown outside their home countries. They will have the opportunity to build relationships during General Congregations held in the days preceding the conclave, which helps to form a collective understanding of the qualities sought in the next pontiff.
The Vatican announced late Monday that its staff and officials have been given the opportunity to pay their respects to the late pope at the Santa Marta residence, a place where Pope Francis chose to stay starting in 2013, opting for a more modest living arrangement compared to the grand apostolic palace inhabited by his predecessors.
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www.cbc.ca