On Wednesday Pope Francis will be taken to St Peter’s Basilica where his casket will remain until burial for the public to pay tribute.
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Courtesy photo; The image of Pope Francis in open Coffin, dressed in red robe with Papal mitre on his head and rosary in his hand released by Vatican
Pope Francis' funeral will take place on Saturday, 26th
April the Vatican has confirmed in a statement.
On Easter Monday, the Vatican announced the passing of Pope
Francis, the spiritual leader of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.
His Eminence Cardinal Kevin Farrell confirmed the pontiff’s
death, saying he died peacefully at 7:35 am local time, marking the end of a
historic papacy that touched millions across the globe.
Since then, condolences have been pouring in from leaders and
Catholics across the World.
Today, the Vatican has released images of Pope Francis in an open
Coffin, dressed in a red robe with a Papal mitre on his head and rosary in his
hand.
On Wednesday, Pope Francis will be taken to St Peter’s
Basilica, where his casket will remain until burial for the public to pay
tribute. The coffin containing the Pope’s body will be carried from the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta to St. Peter’s Basilica.
According to the statement released by the Vatican on Tuesday
morning, the Pope’s Funeral will take place on Saturday, 26th April, 2025, at 10:00 am local time.
Pope Francis' funeral will take place outdoors in front of St Peter's Basilica, and the dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, will lead the service.
At the end of the funeral, Giovanni will deliver the final commendation, a concluding prayer where the Pope will be formally entrusted to God and the body moved to St Mary Major for the burial.
The statement added that Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, will preside over the rite of translation on April 23, which will begin at 9:00 AM with a moment of prayer.
"The procession will pass through Santa Marta Square and the Square of the Roman Protomartyrs.
The procession will then exit through the Arch of the Bells into St. Peter’s Square and enter the Vatican Basilica through the central door. At the
Altar of the Confession, the Cardinal Camerlengo will preside over the
Liturgy of the Word, at conclusion of which the visits to the body of the Roman
Pontiff will commence." The Statement from the Vatican said in conclusion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is among the first World Leaders who have confirmed attendance at Pope Francis's funeral, BBC reported this morning.
