Pope Francis’s Funeral Set for Saturday as World Leaders Prepare to Pay Tribute

Pope Francis’s Funeral Set for Saturday as World Leaders Prepare to Pay Tribute

The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis’s funeral will take place on Saturday, with prominent world leaders, including US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, planning to attend to pay their respects to the late pontiff.

Pope Francis, who was 88, passed away on Monday due to a stroke, just weeks after spending five weeks in hospital recovering from double pneumonia. His funeral service is anticipated to attract large crowds and will start at 10:00 AM local time (08:00 GMT) in St. Peter’s Square.

Following the service, the pontiff’s coffin—constructed of wood and zinc as per his request—will be moved inside St. Peter’s Basilica and then to the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica in Rome for burial.

The initial “general congregation” of cardinals convened on Tuesday morning, beginning the time-honored process that will lead to the election of a new pope within three weeks. The Vatican has also released images of Pope Francis in his open coffin, dressed in his red papal vestments and holding a rosary.

On Monday evening, a service was held at the Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican residence where he lived throughout his 12-year papacy and where he died. His body will be transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica to lie in state starting Wednesday at 9:00 AM (07:00 GMT).

Sister Nathalie Becquart, the undersecretary to the synod of bishops, expressed her deep emotions after paying her respects, feeling both sadness and gratitude for the contributions of Pope Francis.

The Vatican shared details regarding the pope’s final hours. He began feeling unwell on Monday morning around 5:30 AM (3:30 AM GMT), just one day after he had greeted a crowd during Easter Sunday celebrations. Before losing consciousness, he waved goodbye to his personal nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, a gesture described by Vatican News as a farewell. On Sunday, he expressed gratitude to Strappetti for assisting him on what would become his last tour of St. Peter’s Square.

Pope Francis was pronounced dead at 7:35 AM on Monday, with Vatican News indicating that he did not suffer, and his passing was swift.

Tributes have poured in globally for Francis, a progressive reformer who became pope in 2013 after the resignation of Benedict XVI. Argentina has declared a week of national mourning, and India has initiated three days of state mourning, an honor seldom afforded to foreign religious leaders.

Various heads of state and royals are expected to attend the funeral, including Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, who were among the first to confirm their attendance. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and President Zelensky will also be present.

The cardinals, irrespective of age, will convene for the general congregations, with a second meeting set for Wednesday. During the first gathering, around 60 cardinals drew lots to select three individuals to assist the camerlengo, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, in managing the Vatican’s operations until a new pope is elected.

Only cardinals under the age of 80 can participate in the voting conclave, which is slated to occur between May 5 and 10, 15 to 20 days after the pope’s passing. Speculation is already rising regarding who will succeed Pope Francis, born Jorge Bergoglio, the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit.

Cardinal Francois-Xavier Bustillo, bishop of Ajaccio in Corsica, mentioned to AFP upon his arrival in Rome that this will be a deeply significant time.

Following the ceremony on Monday evening, the pope’s body was moved to the Santa Marta chapel, and his apartment was officially sealed. In accordance with his wishes, he will be buried in a simple grave at Santa Maria Maggiore basilica, marking the first occasion in over a century for a pope to be interred outside the Vatican walls.