VATICAN CITY – The Vatican has confirmed that Pope Francis will be laid to rest on Saturday following a solemn funeral service at St. Peter’s Basilica.
His body will be transferred there on Wednesday at 9:00 AM to lie in state until the funeral on Saturday morning at 10:00 AM.
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside over the funeral Mass, which will be concelebrated by Patriarchs, Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, and priests from around the world.
The Eucharistic celebration will conclude with the Ultima commendatio and the Valedictio, marking the beginning of the Novemdiales – nine days of mourning and Masses dedicated to the repose of Pope Francis’ soul.
After the Mass, the late pontiff’s body will be transferred to the Basilica of St. Mary Major for entombment.
Earlier in the day on Wednesday, the coffin will be carried from the Casa Santa Marta chapel to St. Peter’s Basilica, where Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, will preside over the rite of translation.
The procession will move through Santa Marta Square, the Square of the Roman Protomartyrs, and exit through the Arch of the Bells into St. Peter’s Square, entering the Vatican Basilica through the central door.
The Liturgy of the Word will be held at the Altar of the Confession, and following this, the public will begin to pay their respects to the body of the Roman Pontiff.
The process, which has remained virtually unchanged for over 800 years, will begin with the preparation for the conclave, where the cardinal electors will gather to choose the new Pope. ynews.digital/newsflash/papa…
The Vatican announced the death of Pope Francis on Tuesday, following his passing at the age of 88.
The pontiff succumbed to complications from a stroke and irreversible heart failure, as confirmed by Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, the Directorate of Health and Hygiene of the Vatican City State.
Despite interventions, the stroke caused a cardiocirculatory collapse, and Pope Francis’ condition proved fatal.
His death has sparked a global wave of mourning, not only from the heart of the Vatican but also from around the world, including in rural parishes in Kenya, where his progressive leadership had long touched the hearts of many.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis had a medical history that included chronic conditions such as Type II diabetes, high blood pressure, and acute respiratory failure caused by multimicrobial bilateral pneumonia.
His death was officially certified through electrocardiographic thanatography, a method used to confirm death.
The world now mourns the loss of a leader whose deep commitment to human dignity and progressive values left an indelible mark on both the Church and the global community.
