On Easter Monday, Pope Francis died at the age of 88, just hours after addressing worshippers from his wheelchair in St Peter’s Square. His death followed a prolonged period of illness. The Vatican has confirmed Pope Francis’s funeral service will take place on Saturday at 10:00 local time in front of St Peter’s Square Basilica.
High-ranking cardinals met Tuesday in Vatican City to finalize the funeral arrangements. From Wednesday, Pope Francis will lie in state in an open casket inside St Peter’s Basilica, where people will be able to pay their final respects.
His body resting at Santa Marta, his residence throughout his papacy, will be transferred in a ceremonial procession. The acting camerlengo, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, will start a prayer at 09:00 before guiding the procession from Saint Martha’s Square to the basilica’s front steps.
After entering the church, Cardinal Farrell will conduct a short memorial service and then open the space to the public. The basilica will remain open for visitation from 11:00 to midnight on Wednesday and again on Thursday and Friday during specified hours.
Pope Francis requested no private cardinal viewing and declined a raised casket display. The dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, will take charge of Pope Francis’s funeral service. After the last prayer, the Pope’s body will be buried in St Mary Major Basilica in Rome. He chose a simple wooden coffin and opted out of the three-casket burial tradition.
