The Vatican released this Friday (25) photos of the closure of Pope Francis’ coffin. See above.
The Pontiff’s coffin was closed on Friday, in a private ceremony in the Basilica of St. Peter, in the Vatican, after the funeral of Francis.
According to tradition, he will be buried by coins, medals and the minutes of the ceremony. Some prayers were made in Latin, along with songs and readings of biblical passages.
Archbishop Diego Ravelli, Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, was expected to command the act, starting with the Latin reading of an ATA whose copy will be signed by the present clerics.
Then Ravelli should extend a white silk veil over Francisco’s face and bless him with holy water.
The archbishop will place the coins and medals coined during the pontificate in the coffin, as well as the attack containing the seal of the craft of the liturgical celebrations of the high pontiff.
Following, the zinc coffin will receive the lid where the cross, the Pope’s coat of arms, and the plate with the name of the pontiff. In it will also be recorded their life and papacy.
The coffin of Zinc will then be soldered and will receive the Camerlengo seals, the Pontifical House City Hall, the craft of the liturgical celebrations of the Pontiff and the Vatican Chapter.
After that, the wooden coffin should also be closed, on the lid will be the cross and coat of arms of Francis.
The act of sealing the coffin will also mark the end of the funeral in the Basilica of St. Peter, where thousands of people pay tribute to the leader of the Catholic Church.
Pope asked for simple tomb on a will
In Pope Francis’ will, signed on July 29, 2022, the Pontiff sought to reinforce his will as to his burial.
He expressed that he would like his remains to be placed in the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, in a simple grave, excavated in the ground, without decoration and only with the inscription “Franciscus”.
Finally, Francis left the message that he offered “the Lord the suffering that was present in the last part of my life for world peace and the fraternity among peoples.”
“I have always trusted my life and my priestly and episcopal ministry to the mother of our Lord, Santa Maria. Therefore, I ask my remains to rest waiting for the day of resurrection in the papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore,” says the document.
Funeral
On Saturday (26), with the closed coffin, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the Cardinal College, will start the funeral celebrating the Mass of Exequias (ceremony for deceased Catholics), from 5am (Brasília time), 10am (local time), in St. Peter’s Square.
Anterior papal funerals were also performed outdoors, with thousands of people following the ceremony in front of the basilica.
This will be the first day of Noveli (novenary), the nine days of mourning and prayers in honor of the Pope, in St. Peter’s Square, in front of the Basilica of St. Peter, the main Vatican.
This content was originally published in Papa Francisco: Vatican releases photos of the Pontiff’s coffin closure on the CNN Brazil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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