Pope Francis to be laid to rest on Saturday
Vatican City: Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Catholic Church, will be buried Saturday following three days of lying in state at St Peter’s Basilica. The funeral is scheduled to begin at 10 am in St Peter’s Square and will be presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals.
The 88-year-old pontiff died Monday after suffering a stroke that led to heart failure. He had recently returned to his Santa Marta residence after spending over a month in hospital due to pneumonia. His final public appearance came on Easter Sunday, when he greeted crowds from the popemobile and delivered a blessing from the same loggia where he was introduced as pope on March 13, 2013.
Cardinals gathered in the Vatican’s synod hall on Tuesday to begin preparations for the upcoming conclave, which, according to church norms, is expected to start between May 5 and 10.
Among those expected at the funeral are US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, as well as Argentine President Javier Milei. Messages of condolence have been sent from across the globe, reflecting the impact of Francis’ papacy.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, serving as camerlengo, carried out the traditional rites following the pontiff’s death. On Monday evening, both the papal suite in the Apostolic Palace and Francis’ modest quarters in Santa Marta were sealed, in line with Vatican protocol.
Francis, who had declined to live in the Apostolic Palace, chose instead a simple two-room apartment in Santa Marta. He passed away there, and his body was initially placed in the chapel of the residence for private viewings by Vatican officials and close aides.
In keeping with changes he introduced, the late pope’s body has been placed in a plain wooden coffin lined with zinc, differing from the triple-coffin tradition of previous pontiffs. When moved to St Peter’s Basilica, the casket will rest directly on the ground, positioned toward the pews with the Paschal candle nearby.
“He didn’t shy away from getting his hands dirty,” said Cardinal Baldassarre Reina, Francis’ vicar for Rome. “To him, the poor and the migrants were the living presence of Christ.”
