The coffin with Pope
Francis in St. Peter's Basilica (VATICAN MEDIA Divisione Foto)
The celebration of Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday
The funeral Mass for Pope Francis will begin at 10:00 AM on
Saturday, April 26 in St. Peter's Square. It will be presided over by Cardinal
Re and will conclude with the transfer of the coffin to Saint Mary Major, where
the burial will take place.
By Jean Charles Putzolu
About 250 cardinals, a multitude of bishops, priests,
religious brothers and sisters will attend the funeral Mass for the Holy Father
Francis on Saturday, April 26 starting at 10:00 AM. The wooden and zinc coffin
of the deceased Pontiff, sealed on Friday evening, will be placed on the
forecourt of the Basilica, just in front of the altar. It will face a vast
crowd, expected to number several hundred thousand people, hailing from
all geographical, social, political, and cultural backgrounds to pay their
final respects. This diverse crowd represents the Church of Francis, the one
that welcomes “everyone, everyone, everyone,” as he tirelessly repeated.
First Mass of the Novemdiales
As prescribed by the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani
Pontificis, the funeral Mass is the first of nine Masses to be held daily
at St. Peter’s through Sunday, May 4. The funeral liturgy will be presided over
by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals.
The patriarchs and cardinals will be distinguished from the
bishops by the purple of their liturgical garments and their white damask
miters, while the bishops will wear plain white miters.
The Mass will include specific readings: the Acts of the
Apostles, the Letter of Saint Paul to the Pharisees, and the Gospel of John.
The homily, prepared by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, will be
followed by universal prayers in French, Arabic, Portuguese, Polish, German,
and Chinese, before the Eucharistic liturgy, Holy Communion, and the Rite of
Final Commendation
The celebration will be accompanied by the choir of the
Sistine Chapel, singing for Francis one last time.
Toward Saint Mary Major
In accordance with the spiritual testament of the Bishop of
Rome, the coffin will then be transported to the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary
Major. The funeral procession will cover a distance of about four kilometers
through the streets of the capital at a slow pace.
This journey will allow Romans to bid farewell to their
Bishop along a path he often took to pray before the icon of the Virgin Salus
Populi Romani before and after each of his 47 apostolic journeys, and
even recently after his hospital stays in February and March.
Upon arriving at the Liberian basilica, still accompanied by
the Sistine Chapel choir alternating antiphons and psalms, the coffin will be
welcomed by “the last ones,” a group of poor marginalized people who
always had a special place in Pope Francis' heart. . They will be the ones to
give the final tribute before the coffin is carried to the altar of Saint Mary
Major. The burial will take place privately.
The Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Farrell will mark the pontifical coffin
with his seal, along with those of the Prefecture of the Papal Household, the
Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, and the Liberian
Chapter.
The remains of the Successor of Peter will be laid in the
tomb and sprinkled with holy water. After the Regina Cæli prayer,
the notary of the Liberian Chapter will draw up the official act confirming the
burial and will read it aloud to those present. The act will be signed by the
Camerlengo Cardinal, the Regent of the Papal Household, the Master of Papal
Liturgical Celebrations, and finally the notary.
The ceremony is expected to end around 2:00 PM.
The world in Rome
Pope Francis' funeral Mass will be broadcast worldwide. It
will also be available with an English commentary on our website
vaticannews.va/en on the Vatican Media Facebook page, and on the Vatican Media
YouTube channel.
In St. Peter’s Square, delegations from at least 130
countries are expected, including 10 reigning monarchs and about 50 heads of
state. To cover the event, more than 4,000 journalists have requested
accreditation from the Holy See.
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