Pope Francis Casket Open to Public Mourning in St Peter's Basilica

Newsweek

23-04-2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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The public has now been given access to Pope Francis's casket as he lies in state in St. Peter's Basilica for three days of mourning ahead of his funeral on Saturday, April 26.
The pope died aged 88 on Monday following a stroke. He was recovering from pneumonia in both lungs, which had kept him in the hospital in Rome for several weeks before his eventual release on March 23.
Pope Francis in St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica will be kept open until midnight on Wednesday and Thursday to allow the faithful to mourn. The public mourning period will end on Friday at 7 p.m.
Francis's body was moved there early on Wednesday morning from the Santa Marta Domus, where it had been lying in state for a private viewing for Vatican residents and the papal household.
Inside the 16th-century basilica, his casket won't be put on an elevated bier—as was the case with past popes—but will just be placed on the main alta, simply facing the pews.
Italian police have tightened security for the viewing and the funeral, carrying out foot and horse patrols around the Vatican, where pilgrims continued to arrive for the Holy Year celebrations that Francis opened in December.
The faithful who walk through St. Peter's Holy Door are granted indulgences, a way to help atone for sins.
Pallbearers, next to Swiss Guards, carry the coffin of the late Pope Francis (R) as it is transported from the chapel of Santa Marta to St Peter's Basilica, following the Pope's death, in the Vatican...
Pallbearers, next to Swiss Guards, carry the coffin of the late Pope Francis (R) as it is transported from the chapel of Santa Marta to St Peter's Basilica, following the Pope's death, in the Vatican on April 23, 2025. More
ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images
The Funeral of Pope Francis
On the day of the funeral, at 8:30 a.m., archbishops and bishops will gather at the Braccio di Costantino in the Vatican, wearing the amice and alb, which are white liturgical vestments; the rope-like cincture worn around the waist; and a simple white miter on their heads.
At 9 a.m., patriarchs and cardinals will gather in the Chapel of San Sebastiano in the Basilica wearing the white damask miter required in the presence of the pope.
Then at 10 a.m., Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside over the funeral mass in St. Peter's Square, along with patriarchs, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests from across the world.
World leaders attending will include U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, France's President Emmanuel Macron, and Argentina's President Javier Milei, among many others.
The celebration will conclude with the "ultima commendatio" and the "valedictio," which mark the beginning of nine days of mourning and masses for Pope Francis.
The coffin will be taken to St. Peter's Basilica, and from there to the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major for entombment. This is a break from tradition, as many of the pope's predecessors have been buried in St. Peter's Basilica.
Novendiali and Conclave
After the funeral, there are nine days of official mourning, known as the "novendiali." During this period, cardinals arrive in Rome to participate in a conclave to elect the next pope.
To give everyone time to assemble, the conclave must begin 15-20 days after the "sede vacante"—a Latin term meaning the seat is vacant—is declared, although it can start sooner if the cardinals agree.
The cardinals will vote in secret sessions, and the ballots will be burned in a special stove after each session.
Black smoke will indicate that no pope has been elected, while white smoke will indicate that the cardinals have chosen the next head of the Catholic Church.
This article uses reporting by The Associated Press.