The first photos of Pope Francis in his casket were released on Tuesday, as the Vatican announced the pontiff’s funeral for Saturday.
The images released by the Vatican show the pontiff lying in a wooden casket wearing traditional red vestments and his bishop’s miter, with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin praying over his body.
Francis was placed in the casket Monday night in the chapel of the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, operating as the acting head of the church until a new pope is selected.
Photo by Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images
Catholics can begin paying their respects starting Wednesday, when the casket is brought into St. Peter’s Basilica.
Cardinals met on Tuesday to establish the next steps, setting the funeral for 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. President Trump said he plans to attend the funeral with the first lady, as dozens of other world leaders have also confirmed their attendance.
Francis, who was 88, died Monday morning of a cerebral stroke followed by a coma and ultimately “irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse,” according to the Vatican.
The pope had been in and out of the hospital for two months prior to his death, battling various respiratory illnesses necessitating a constant flow of supplemental oxygen and at least one emergency blood transfusion, per the New York Post.
Photo by Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images
In his final will, Francis wished to be buried at St. Mary Major Basilica, located outside the Vatican, breaking with the tradition of papal burials at St. Peter’s Basilica.
Pope Francis was the first pontiff from the Americas and the first Jesuit pope in the Church’s history, serving during a period of significant challenges for the Catholic Church.
His death marks the end of a controversial era and sets the stage for what many religious conservatives hope will be a return to more traditional Catholic leadership.
A conclave to elect the next pope must begin between 15 and 20 days after Francis’s death, according to Church law.
During this period, Cardinal Farrell will oversee the Vatican’s administration and the conclave of 135 cardinals under the age of 80 who are eligible to vote in the secretive process of selecting the 267th pontiff.
“He gave himself to the end,” said Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, head of the Italian bishops’ conference and a possible candidate to be the next pope. “To go out to meet everyone, speak to everyone, teach us to speak to everyone, to bless everyone.”
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The first photos of Pope Francis in his casket were released on Tuesday, as the Vatican announced the pontiff’s funeral for Saturday.
The images released by the Vatican show the pontiff lying in a wooden casket wearing traditional red vestments and his bishop’s miter, with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin praying over his body.
Francis was placed in the casket Monday night in the chapel of the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, operating as the acting head of the church until a new pope is selected.
Photo by Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images
Catholics can begin paying their respects starting Wednesday, when the casket is brought into St. Peter’s Basilica.
Cardinals met on Tuesday to establish the next steps, setting the funeral for 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. President Trump said he plans to attend the funeral with the first lady, as dozens of other world leaders have also confirmed their attendance.
Francis, who was 88, died Monday morning of a cerebral stroke followed by a coma and ultimately “irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse,” according to the Vatican.
The pope had been in and out of the hospital for two months prior to his death, battling various respiratory illnesses necessitating a constant flow of supplemental oxygen and at least one emergency blood transfusion, per the New York Post.
Photo by Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images
In his final will, Francis wished to be buried at St. Mary Major Basilica, located outside the Vatican, breaking with the tradition of papal burials at St. Peter’s Basilica.
Pope Francis was the first pontiff from the Americas and the first Jesuit pope in the Church’s history, serving during a period of significant challenges for the Catholic Church.
His death marks the end of a controversial era and sets the stage for what many religious conservatives hope will be a return to more traditional Catholic leadership.
A conclave to elect the next pope must begin between 15 and 20 days after Francis’s death, according to Church law.
During this period, Cardinal Farrell will oversee the Vatican’s administration and the conclave of 135 cardinals under the age of 80 who are eligible to vote in the secretive process of selecting the 267th pontiff.
“He gave himself to the end,” said Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, head of the Italian bishops’ conference and a possible candidate to be the next pope. “To go out to meet everyone, speak to everyone, teach us to speak to everyone, to bless everyone.”
“}]]
