Vatican announces Pope's funeral schedule
Pope Francis' funeral is set for Saturday, April 26 at 10 a.m. Rome time (4 p.m. in the Philippines), the Vatican said. The main service will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re in St. Peter's Basilica.
According to the Vatican, the process of laying the Pontiff to rest will begin on Wednesday, April 23, at 9 a.m. (3 p.m. Philippine time). The coffin bearing the body of Pope Francis will be moved from the Chapel of the Casa Santa Marta to the St. Peter's Basilica.
Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, will lead the rite of translation with a moment of prayer.
The Vatican continued that the procession will take Francis' coffin through Santa Marta Square and the Square of the Roman Protomartyrs, then through the Arch of the Bells into St. Peter's Square, and finally into the Vatican Basilica via the main entrance.
At the Altar of the Confession, the Cardinal Camerlengo will preside over the Liturgy of the Word. It will be followed by the public viewing, which is scheduled to end late April 25 with another prayer service.
According to the book of rites, he will say, "Dearest brothers and sisters, with great emotion we accompany the mortal remains of our Pope Francis into the Vatican basilica where he often exercised his ministry as the bishop of the church that is in Rome and as pastor of the universal church."
The Holy See Press Office said that the Patriarchs and the Cardinals should arrive in the Chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae at 8:45 a.m. (2:45 p.m.) wearing their choral habit. Meanwhile, the Archbishops and Bishops, Canons of the Vatican Chapter, the Vatican Ordinary Minor Penitents and, in accordance with the Motu Proprio “Pontificalis Domus,” all the members of the Papal Chapel are requested to be present in Santa Marta Square by 8:30 a.m. (2:30 p.m.) wearing their choral habit.
Francis passed away on Easter Monday at 88 years old.
According to his death certificate released by the Vatican, he died of a stroke, causing a coma and "irreversible" heart failure.
The 88-year-old Catholic leader died on Monday morning, almost a month after having been discharged from five weeks in hospital where he nearly succumbed to double pneumonia.
Francis passed away in his apartment at the Santa Marta residence in the Vatican. He died of "cerebral stroke, coma, irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse," the death certificate said.
He asked that his mortal remains "rest awaiting the day of resurrection in the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore." (with reports from AFP)
