Pope Francis’ wake ended on Friday (25), after three days open to the public. According to Vatican, about 250,000 people attended and said goodbye to the pontiff.
Now, the faithful prepare for the funeral, which will be held this Saturday (26) in St. Peter’s Square. More than 200,000 people are expected for the ceremony.
See below for the next steps.
Coffin closure
After the end of the wake, Francis’ coffin was sealed in a private ceremony led by eight Catholic cardinals.
The Pope’s face was covered with a white silk veil and his body will be sprinkled with holy water.
Papal items, such as coins and medals coined during their pontificate, were placed in the coffin. A special deed listing the key points of his 12-year-old papacy was also placed in the coffin.
Francisco asked to be buried in a simple zinc -coated wooden coffin, unlike his predecessors, which were buried in three interconnected coffins made of cypress, lead and oak.
Funeral mass
On Saturday morning, the Pope’s coffin will be removed from St. Peter’s Basilica and taken to the public square to the funeral.
The funeral mass is scheduled to start at 10am, local time (5am from Brasilia), with a choir singing the introductory rites in Latin.
The Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista rewys will be managed and will lead the mass, which must be concelebrated by 220 cardinals and 750 bishops and priests near the altar, as well as another 4,000 priests in the square.
At Pope John Paul II’s funeral in 2005, the sermon was given by German cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who would be elected 11 days later as Pope Benedict XVI.
Re cannot participate in the conclave that will elect Francis’ successor, as he is 91 years old and is not a papal candidate – it is necessary to be less than 80 years old to vote for the conclave, and thus be elected.
But Vatican observers believe he can still try to provide a “guide” for his fellow cardinals to follow the vote.
Final words
A Mass prayer will include God’s requests so that all people and nations will “persevere in the pursuit of the path of peace.”
In the “final praise and farewell,” he will order the Pope’s soul to God and ask comfort for the 1.4 billion members of the Roman Catholic Church.
Near the end of the Mass, he will say in Latin: “O God, faithful rewarding of souls, grant that your deceased servant and our bishops, Pope Francis, to whom you have been successor to Peter and pastor of your church, may enjoy forever, in your presence in heaven, of the mysteries of your grace and compassion, who faithfully ministered on earth.”
The cardinal will then sprinkle the coffin with holy water and incense.
At the end of the Mass, the choir will sing in Latin: “May the angels lead you to paradise; may the martyrs come, welcome you, and take you to the Holy City, the new and eternal Jerusalem.”
Who will participate in Pope Francis’ funeral?
More than 200,000 people are expected for the ceremony at the wide square in front of the São Pedro Basilica.
To date, about 50 heads of state have been confirmed, including US President Donald Trump, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Argentina’s president, Francisco’s homeland, and 10 reigning monarchs.
Leaders of Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and European Union institutions also confirmed their presence.
Funeral procession and burial of Pope Francis
The funeral procession will follow from the Basilica of St. Peter to the other basilica at a walk. Crowds are expected to be clustered along the way, which is about 5.5 km long and will pass many Rome monuments, including the Colosseum.
A group of poor people will be present on the staircase that leads to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore to pay their last honors to Francis, reflecting their devotion to the service of the poor and oppressed during their pontificate.
Francis will then be buried, according to his will, in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, to which he had special devotion.
The last pope to be buried outside the Vatican was Leo XIII, who died in 1903.
The burial will be a private ceremony, but visits to the tomb will be allowed as early as Sunday (27). The tomb will only have the inscription of the Latin name “Franciscus”.
What happens after Pope Francis’ burial?
The papal funeral marks the first nine days of mourning of the global church.
Another mourning mass will be held in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday (27). The meeting will be led by Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, often seen as one of the main candidates for the papacy.
In the coming days, the Vatican will announce the date for the beginning of the conclave that will choose Francisco’s successor. The ceremony is expected to begin between May 6 and 11.
See images of Pope Francis’ life:
This content was originally published at the end of Pope Francis’ wake: what are the next steps? on the CNN Brazil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
