Pope Francis, who died after a sudden heart failure on Monday will be honoured with a funeral on Saturday in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican officials confirmed.
The Vatican announced that the late pontiff, who suffered a stroke and cardiac arrest, will be laid to rest after a funeral mass at 10:00 a.m. (0800 GMT).
His body, currently lying in state at the Santa Marta residence, will be transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. (0700 GMT) for public viewing.
Photographs released by the Vatican show Francis dressed in his papal vestments, placed in a simple wooden coffin, flanked by solemn Swiss Guards.
Francis, the first Latin American pope, spent five weeks hospitalized earlier this year for double pneumonia. He had been recovering and was last seen publicly on Easter Sunday.
His sudden passing marks the end of a 12-year papacy defined by efforts to reform the Vatican’s bureaucracy, address clerical abuse, and advocate for the poor and marginalized.
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World leaders are expected to attend the funeral. Among them are U.S. President Donald Trump, Argentine President Javier Milei, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
In a departure from tradition, Francis requested to be buried in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, instead of St. Peter’s Basilica, where many popes are entombed.
With his passing, ancient papal rituals have commenced, including the ceremonial destruction of the “Fisherman’s Ring” and papal seal to prevent future misuse.
Cardinals in Rome convened on Tuesday to finalize funeral arrangements and initiate interim leadership of the Church.
A conclave to elect the next pope is expected between May 6 and May 11. Of the 135 cardinals eligible to vote, nearly 80 percent were appointed by Francis, potentially influencing the ideological direction of the next pontiff.
No clear successor has emerged, but General Congregations ahead of the conclave will help define the qualities sought in the new pope.
Pope Francis leaves behind a legacy of humility, reform, and compassion—characteristics that deeply marked his time as leader of the 1.4 billion-member Roman Catholic Church.
NAN
