Latest news with #BookoftheGospels
Herald Malaysia
07-05-2025
- General
- Herald Malaysia
Conclave 2025: A prayer as the cardinals gather to elect the next pope
As the cardinals gather in conclave beginning today, May 7, the Church and all people of goodwill are invited to pray this prayer given by the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word: May 07, 2025 The Book of the Gospels is displayed at the Sistine Chapel for the conclave to elect the next pope, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. | Credit: Vatican Media By Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal WordAs the cardinals gather in conclave beginning today, May 7, the Church and all people of goodwill are invited to pray this prayer given by the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word: Holy Spirit, enlighten the Church at this time, especially all the cardinals you call to take part in the conclave. Grant them wisdom and holiness so that all may cooperate with your inspiration and guidance to elect the next vicar of Christ, your chosen servant. Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen. The Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word (MFVA) were founded in 1987 by Mother Angelica (foundress of EWTN) and have a primary apostolate to communicate the truth and beauty of the Catholic faith through word and example. The friars provide generously for the spiritual and sacramental needs of the Eternal Word Television Network, the Poor Clare nuns, and the Christian faithful.--CNA
CNN
26-04-2025
- Politics
- CNN
In pictures: Saying farewell to Pope Francis
The coffin of Pope Francis is carried into St. Peter's Square at the start of his funeral on Saturday. (Bernadette Tuazon/CNN) Tens of thousands of people flocked to the Vatican on Saturday for the funeral of Pope Francis. The beloved pontiff, the first Latin American pope in history, died earlier this week at the age of 88. Saturday's ceremony mostly took place outside, under bright sunshine in St. Peter's Square. And although Pope Francis simplified the papal funeral rites in a move of typical modesty, there was still plenty of pomp and pageantry. Cardinals attend the pope's funeral on Saturday. (Bernadette Tuazon/CNN) People fill St. Peter's Square for the pope's funeral. (Alessio Paduano for CNN) Members of the clergy place the Book of the Gospels over the pope's coffin. (Bernadette Tuazon/CNN) The crowd included dozens of dignitaries, including heads of state and reigning monarchs. Among the world leaders attending the ceremony were Javier Milei, president of the pope's native Argentina; US President Donald Trump and his predecessor, Joe Biden; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky; and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., head of the largest Catholic nation in Asia. Britain's Prince William, next in line to the throne, was among the world's royals attending. Francis' funeral liturgy was presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the College of Cardinals. In the coming weeks, that group will meet in conclave to choose a new pope. Dignitaries attend the pope's funeral in St. Peter's Square. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, bottom left, and US President Donald Trump, at right, were among the world leaders in the front row. Trump and Zelensky also met before the funeral. (Bernadette Tuazon/CNN) An attendee sits in St. Peter's Square on Saturday. (Alessio Paduano for CNN) Thousands of people from around the world attended the funeral. (Alessio Paduano for CNN) A person peeks through a curtain during the funeral. (Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters) Stacks of newspapers are seen in St. Peter's Square. (Alessio Paduano for CNN) Francis was a 'pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone,' Re said in his homily, which was delivered after the pope's coffin was carried into the piazza outside St. Peter's Basilica. 'Rich in human warmth and deeply sensitive to today's challenges, Pope Francis truly shared the anxieties, sufferings and hopes of this time of globalization.' People gather in St. Peter's Square for the funeral, which was presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. (Alessio Paduano for CNN) The crowds at St. Peter's Square watched the Mass mostly in silence, breaking it only to sing and follow along with prayers, and to applaud when they saw Francis' coffin. After Re delivered the Prayer of the Faithful, also called the Universal Prayer, cardinals delivered a short prayer in six languages: Italian, French, Arabic, Portuguese, Polish, German and Mandarin. It was the first time that Mandarin had been included in a papal funeral. This photo, taken from St. Peter's Basilica, shows the pope's coffin and some of the crowd during his funeral. (Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images) Nuns watch the funeral from a window overlooking St. Peter's Square. (Andreea Alexandru/AP) The pope's coffin is lifted at the end of the funeral Mass by the Gentlemen of His Holiness — butlers or valets to the pope. (Bernadette Tuazon/CNN) After the bells of St. Peter's Basilica tolled to mark the end of the service, the pope's coffin was driven slowly through the streets of Rome to his final resting place at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. About 150,000 people lined the 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) procession route from Vatican City through Rome. Francis is the first pope in more than three centuries to be buried at Santa Maria Maggiore, with his interment taking place away from the public eye. The popemobile carries Francis' coffin past the Colosseum in Rome. (Bernat Armangue/AP) People react as they wait outside the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore on Saturday. (Carlos Barria/Reuters) The pope's coffin is carried into Santa Maria Maggiore. (Claudia Greco/Reuters) In the days leading up to the funeral, Francis was lying in state at St. Peter's Basilica, where members of the public were able to see him and pay their respects. Mourners packed into the piazza outside, waiting in line to visit the pope's coffin. In keeping with Francis' push to simplify the papal rites, his body lied in an open wooden coffin, having done away with the tradition of having three coffins of cypress, lead and oak. The pope's coffin sits inside St. Peter's Basilica on Wednesday. (Stefano Spaziani/Mondadori Portfolio/) People pay their respects to the pope as he lies in state at St. Peter's Basilica on Friday. (Bernadette Tuazon/CNN) People waiting in line to enter St. Peter's Basilica are reflected in a window on Wednesday. (Alessio Paduano for CNN) Women pray in St. Peter's Square on Thursday. (Bernadette Tuazon/CNN) Rows of empty chairs line St. Peter's Square on Tuesday. (Alessio Paduano for CNN) Candles and flowers are seen in St. Peter's Square on Tuesday. (Toby Hancock/CNN) Nuns are among the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square on Tuesday. (Toby Hancock/CNN) Crowds line up outside St. Peter's Basilica on Friday as a sign indicates the closing of St. Peter's Square. (Bernadette Tuazon/CNN) People who waited for hours to pass by the coffin had only a fraction of a moment to see the pontiff, with roughly 50 people passing each minute. Elsewhere in the basilica, people kneeled in chapels to pray in silence, and the confessional was open in four different languages. Nearly every offering candle was lit. The basilica remained open until midnight each day. Vatican City authorities said that ahead of the closing hour, they would shut off the square and allow the remaining crowds to filter through the basilica past the pope. People make their way through St. Peter's Square on Friday to view the pope lying in state. (Alessio Paduano for CNN) Francis' coffin was lying in state at the Altar of the Confessio, a sacred space in front of the main tomb of St. Peter, after being transferred from the chapel at his Casa Santa Marta residence on Wednesday. The procession traveled through Piazza Santa Marta and the Piazza dei Protomartiri Romani, passing through the Arch of the Bells and into St. Peter's Square, before entering through the basilica's central door. Swiss Guards stand by as Pope Francis' body is transferred to St. Peter's Basilica from his residence on Wednesday. (Alessio Paduano for CNN) Swiss Guards stand at the entrance of St. Peter's Basilica on Thursday as the pope lies in state. (Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters) Members of the media stand above the crowd as people continue to stream into St. Peter's Basilica on Thursday. (Bernadette Tuazon/CNN) The pope's coffin is carried into St. Peter's Basilica on Wednesday. (Susana Vera/Reuters) Before his election in 2013, the pope was Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He chose the name Francis to honor St. Francis of Assisi, who is revered among Catholics for his work with the poor. As pope, Francis championed the poor, migrants and the environment, and he quickly gained a reputation as a modernizer, with an outward-facing approach that saw him speak out boldly on humanitarian crises such as migration, war and climate change. He also sought to reform the church by tackling elitist mentalities among the clergy, demanding a compassionate approach to divorced and gay Catholics and insisting that the church welcome everyone. People gather in St. Peter's Square on Saturday. (Alessio Paduano for CNN) Two girls sit in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday. (Bernadette Tuazon/CNN) Popes are usually buried within Vatican City, beneath St. Peter's Basilica. But Francis is the first pontiff in more than a century to be buried outside the Vatican. He requested a 'simple' tomb a couple of miles away in Santa Maria Maggiore — also known as St. Mary Major. The church has long held a special significance for Francis, who used to visit on Sunday mornings to honor the Virgin Mary. It's where Francis began his first full day as pope in 2013, and it is also the first place he visited after leaving the hospital last month, offering flowers to be placed before the icon of the Virgin Mary. A look inside the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, which is the pope's final resting place in Rome. Francis visited this church often. He is the first pope buried outside of the Vatican since Leo XIII in 1903. () A helicopter flies over the Vatican on Saturday. (Alessio Paduano for CNN)
Spectator
26-04-2025
- General
- Spectator
Pope Francis's funeral brought the least and the greatest together
In the story of Pope Francis's papacy, the same thread ran through the first and final chapters. On the evening of his election in 2013, he appeared on St Peter's balcony dressed in plain white – shunning the red papal mozetta – delivering a simple 'buonasera' with a shy wave to the rapturous and adoring crowds. Just as he kept things simple then, he opted for a modest wood coffin today rather than the three-casket option made of cypress, lead and oak. Although popes are usually buried with a new mitre, which costs hundreds of pounds, Francis insisted his current mitre would do just fine. No frills. No fuss. He was, as Cardinal Battista Re said earlier, 'a pope among the people' from beginning to end. Applause rang out as 14 white-gloved pallbearers laid the Pope before the altar this morning in St Peter's Square, with a Book of the Gospels resting on top.
26-04-2025
- General
Breeze blows pages of Book of Gospels on Pope Francis' coffin
It is one of the most poignant and iconic moments in papal funerals: the simple yet profound image of the breeze blowing the pages of the Book of the Gospels resting on top of the pope's coffin.
CNN
26-04-2025
- General
- CNN
Funeral of Pope Francis begins with world leaders among thousands gathering
Update: Date: 2 min ago Title: Book of the Gospels placed on Pope Francis' coffin Content: An open Book of the Gospels has been placed on top of Pope Francis' closed coffin. A sign of the times, the majority of the crowd raise cellphones above their heads as the service begins. Update: Date: 2 min ago Title: Cardinals funnel out of St. Peter's Basilica Content: The College of Cardinals are proceeding out of the basilica into St. Peter's Square. They are walking in order of seniority, preceded by an ornate Book of the Gospels, and will kiss the altar before going to their seats. The last person to enter the square will be the Celebrant, Cardinal Giovanni Re. Update: Date: 9 min ago Title: Funeral service opens with introductory rites Content: The funeral of Pope Francis has begun with an antiphon – a short musical chant – and psalm. Like most of the service today, the text is in Latin. 'Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei,' sung the choir and congregation. (Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.) The Sistine Chapel Choir – the prestigious group of 20 men and 30 or so boys who are the pope's personal choir – intones Psalm 64: 'Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion; et tibi reddetur votum in Ierusalem.' (Praise is due to you in Zion, O God. To you we pay our vows in Jerusalem.) Update: Date: 7 min ago Title: Pope Francis' coffin is being moved out to St. Peter's Square Content: After lying in state in St. Peter's Basilica for three days, the coffin of Pope Francis is being carried out into the piazza outside. The coffin, preceded by a plain Book of the Gospels, is being carried through the Holy Door of the basilica into the square. The coffin is being carried by the Gentlemen of His Holiness – butlers or valets to the pope. The service will begin shortly. Update: Date: 11 min ago Title: Crowd applauds Zelensky as he enters St. Peter's Square Content: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has just left St. Peter's Basilica and entered the square. The crowd, mostly hushed until now, just broke into applause. Update: Date: 15 min ago Title: A more diverse crowd than the last papal funeral Content: Looking around, it's clear this is a much more global crowd than we've seen at papal funerals. I was here for the funeral of John Paul II, and the crowd here today is much more diverse than back then. It's striking just how many people have come from all parts of the world. I'm seeing people from Indonesia, US, the Philippines, France, they've just come from everywhere. There really has been a massive turn out for this funeral. We were here at 4.30 a.m., and people were already approaching St. Peter's Square. Once the police opened the barriers, people just ran up the boulevard to get as close as possible to the square. Update: Date: 16 min ago Title: Bells toll in St. Peter's Square as world leaders take their seats Content: The bells of St. Peter's Basilica are tolling slowly as the congregation begins to take their seats. A hush has fallen over the square, where some 250,000 people have gathered. More than 50 heads of state are attending today's funeral. We've seen many of them already, including Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a Catholic who had a close relationship with Pope Francis. US President Donald Trump has made his way to his seat. French President Emmanuel Macron has also just paid his respects to Francis' coffin in the basilica, which will soon be carried into St. Peter's Square. Update: Date: 14 min ago Title: Pope Francis' funeral is the first foreign trip of Trump's second term Content: We've just had our first sight of US President Donald Trump. He'll be sitting with First Lady Melania Trump, as well as former President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden. Today's funeral marks Trump's first foreign trip since returning to the White House. Before Pope Francis' death, Trump's first overseas visit was set to be to Saudi Arabia in May. But hours after the pope's death was announced, Trump ordered flags across the US to be flown at half-staff 'as a mark of respect for the memory of His Holiness Pope Francis.' 'Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome. We look forward to being there!' Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday. In December, Trump – then the president-elect – attended the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, which marked his unofficial return to the international stage ahead of his inauguration. His presence in Rome today could offer a rare opportunity for world leaders to engage with Trump in person, as countries around the world grapple with the fallout from the US president's punishing tariffs. 'It's going to be very interesting,' Trump told reporters outside the White House on Friday before he traveled to Rome. 'We're going to meet with a lot of the foreign leaders – they want to meet.' Hours after the pope's death was announced Monday, Trump ordered flags across the US to be flown at half-staff 'as a mark of respect for the memory of His Holiness Pope Francis.' Update: Date: 28 min ago Title: US President Trump arrives at St. Peter's Square Content: US President Donald Trump has arrived at St. Peter's Square alongside First Lady Melania Trump. The funeral for Pope Francis is set to begin at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET). Update: Date: 22 min ago Title: Young mourners camp overnight ahead of Francis' funeral Content: Many of those here today opted to camp out on the street overnight in order to secure a good spot for Pope Francis' funeral. Among them, Sophia Amato, who arrived three hours ago, huddled with sleeping bags and blankets to keep warm. 'It was so important for us to say goodbye. He was so important to us. He was a pope of the young. He was a pope of the poor he was a pope of ordinary people we drove from southern Italy to get here,' she told CNN. We camped at night just outside the square and then three hours ago we came in to get this spot in the front.' Update: Date: 35 min ago Title: How did Pope Francis simplify his funeral and burial? Content: Francis – who chose his papal name after Francis of Assisi, the Italian saint who renounced his family wealth and championed the poor – took steps while he was alive to simplify the rites around his death to make them more 'down to earth.' The Vatican said the funeral will follow the rites laid out in the 'Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis.' This liturgical book, detailing the procedures following the death of a pope, was published in 2000 and revised by Francis last year. Some of those revisions have already been on display. Unlike after previous papal deaths, Francis' body was placed immediately inside his coffin, which has been left open to allow people to pay their respects. Diego Ravelli, master of apostolic ceremonies, said Francis had sought to 'simplify and adapt' the rituals, so that the papal funeral is 'that of a pastor and disciple of Christ, and not of a powerful person in this world.' Elise Allen, CNN's Vatican analyst, said Francis, the first Argentine pontiff, was the 'pope of simplicity.' 'He lived that way in Buenos Aires, and he tried to bring that into the papacy and the way that he lived as pope because that's something he wanted for the church itself – to be more simple, to be more in contact with reality, with the lives of people around,' Allen said. In his will, Francis gave simple instructions for his burial: 'The tomb should be in the ground; simple, without particular ornamentation, bearing only the inscription: Franciscus.' Rather than the splendor of the Vatican, Francis has opted to be buried in Rome's Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. He will be the first pope to be buried outside the Vatican in more than a century. Update: Date: 40 min ago Title: Nuns and other mourners sprinted into the Vatican when its gates opened earlier Content: When the Vatican's gates opened to the public at 6 a.m. local time (12 a.m. ET), crowds of nuns and other faithful raced up the road leading to St. Peter's Square, hoping to get the best possible view of the pope's funeral. As the square filled up, police asked people not to run. 'The crowd control is very good,' said José Antonieta, who travelled from Scotland with his daughter. They walked to the gates of the square at 6 a.m. and nearly three hours later were close to the entrance of the colonnade. Antonieta, draped in the flag of his native Venezuela, said they feel 'blessed' to be here after narrowly missing the pope's lying in state on Friday. The Vatican has prepared for as many as 250,000 people to flock to St. Peter's Square and 1 million more to line the 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) procession route from the Vatican City through Rome to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, in hopes of seeing the pope's modest coffin as it travels to his final resting place. More large viewing screens have been set up in the square and the road leading to it. Nearby piazzas in Rome have also been equipped with TVs, as large crowds descended on the area. And many more of world's 1.4 billion Catholics are expected to watch the funeral broadcast from home. Update: Date: 49 min ago Title: It's set to be a warm, clear day in Rome Content: Rome has had glorious sunshine all week, and Saturday is set to be more of the same. After starting at a low of 11°C (52°F) early this morning, temperatures are forecast to reach 16°C (60°F) by the time the service starts at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET). In the afternoon – when Pope Francis' body will be transferred from the Vatican to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome – temperatures are set to reach a high of 22°C (72°F). No rain is expected, but there may be some clouds in the afternoon. Update: Date: 56 min ago Title: Young Italian students spent the night in a church to get a good spot this morning Content: It's striking how many young people there are in St. Peter's Square this morning. CNN spoke to a group of students from southern Italy on Saturday who said they'd spent last night in sleeping bags in a nearby church so they could get to the Vatican as early as possible. Pope Francis' legacy also clearly resonates with people who don't consider themselves Catholics, or even Christians. 'I'm not especially religious, but he seemed to have been such a humble person who looked after the poor and actually lived proper Christian beliefs,' one mourner told CNN. 'He didn't go in for all the pomp and circumstance. He wanted a humble funeral, he wanted his last resting place to be in a more humble place than here,' she added. Update: Date: 1 hr 4 min ago Title: What to expect on Saturday as the Pope makes his journey to his final resting place Content: Under the meticulously planned arrangements for the Pope's funeral, the ceremony will take place mostly at the Vatican, before Francis' body is taken across the River Tiber for burial in a Rome basilica. Here's a rundown of what we're expecting with just under an hour to go: Update: Date: 1 hr 16 min ago Title: Former US President Biden arrives at St. Peter's Square Content: Former US President Joe Biden has arrived at St. Peter's Square alongside his wife Jill Biden. Pope Francis' funeral will begin in just under an hour. Biden will sit with the rest of the delegation from United States, including current US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. As delegations will be sat in alphabetical order in French, those in the US delegation - known as 'États-Unis' - will be placed near those representing Estonia and Finland. Update: Date: 1 hr 20 min ago Title: Who's coming to the funeral? Content: A total of 130 delegations including 55 heads of state, 14 heads of government and 12 reigning monarchs will be in attendance, the Vatican has said. French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are among the major European leaders who will attend. US President Donald Trump is also going. Britain's Prince William, next in line to the throne, is among the world's royals attending. King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain are going. As well as a string of world and religious leaders, at least tens of thousands of members of the public are expected to be in St. Peter's Square. About 50,000 people came to Pope Benedict XVI's funeral in 2023, while around 300,000 attended Pope John Paul II's in 2005. And to cover the event, more than 4,000 journalists have requested accreditation from the Holy See, Vatican media reported. Update: Date: 1 hr 10 min ago Title: Here are three things to look out for during today's service Content: St. Peter's Square in the Vatican is starting to fill with mourners, and the choir is practising the hymns it will soon sing to the world. What's struck me is how many young people there are in the crowd – a testament to Pope Francis' wide appeal. The service is set to start in a little over an hour. Here's what to look out for. First is the placing of a Book of the Gospels on Francis' coffin. The Gospels recount the life and teachings of Jesus Christ – something Pope Francis strove to follow throughout his life. Second is that papal funerals bring together world leaders like no other event. The dozens of leaders gathered here today will sit in alphabetical order of their nations – in French, the traditional language of diplomacy. This means US President Donald Trump will be sat between the leaders of Estonia and Finland, since the US is 'États-Unis' in French. The leaders of Italy – the host nation – and Argentina – Francis' birthplace – will, however, have pride of place. The third thing to look for will be Francis' procession from the Vatican to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. As pope, Francis left the Vatican often, traveling to the margins and peripheries of the globe. It's fitting that he'll make one last journey outside the walls of the Vatican. Update: Date: 1 hr 38 min ago Title: What's happened since Francis' death? Content: Francis died at 7.35 a.m. Easter Monday, on the second floor of his papal residence in the Vatican. Throughout his 12-year papacy, Francis chose not to live in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, but in its guesthouse, Casa Santa Marta – in a gesture of humility that would characterize his pontificate. Francis' body was placed in an open coffin and taken to the chapel in Casa Santa Marta on Monday evening. That night, Cardinal Kevin Farrell – the 'camerlengo' tasked with planning the papal funeral and conclave – certified Francis' death and sealed his papal apartment in his residence. The room will remain sealed until a successor is chosen. On Wednesday morning, the camerlengo held a brief service in the chapel before Francis' body was transferred to St. Peter's Basilica through Piazza Santa Marta and the Piazza dei Protomartiri Romani, passing through the Arch of the Bells and into St. Peter's Square, before entering through the basilica's central door. Bells tolled slowly as the coffin entered the basilica at 9.30 a.m. local time, while mourners in the piazza outside broke into applause. Following a brief service in the basilica, Pope Francis' body has been lying in state in an open coffin. Tens of thousands of mourners visited his body before Farrell presided over the Rite of Sealing of the Coffin on Friday evening, and the doors of the basilica closed to the public. Update: Date: 1 hr 43 min ago Title: In pictures: Crowds gather in St. Peter's Square before Pope Francis' funeral Content: Crowds of mourners have gathered in St. Peter's Square, Vatican City, where the funeral for Pope Francis will begin in less than two hours' time. The Vatican says up to a quarter of a million people could flock to the square and a million more line the route through Rome. Update: Date: 1 hr 31 min ago Title: Ukraine's Zelensky arrives in Rome for funeral Content: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Rome to attend Pope Francis's funeral on Saturday, Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform reported. The leader arrived alongside Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska and the rest of Ukraine's delegation, the agency said. Zelensky had said Friday that he will travel to the Vatican for the funeral if he can make it in time to attend, after numerous meetings related to the three-year war between his country and Russia. Zelensky and Ukraine's European partners are currently seeking to sketch out a vision of a potential deal to end the war, as parallel talks take place between the United States and Moscow. Update: Date: 2 hr 19 min ago Title: The Catholic world prepares to bid farewell to Pope Francis Content: Six days ago, Pope Francis appeared on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to give his Easter Sunday blessing. Thousands had gathered in the square below to witness the pope's first major public appearance since his bout of double pneumonia, which had hospitalized him for weeks. Hours after his appearance, early on Easter Monday, Francis died of a stroke and heart failure at his Vatican residence. He was 88. Since then, tens of thousands of pilgrims have passed through the doors of St. Peter's Basilica to pay their respects to Pope Francis, whose body has been lying in state since Wednesday. Today, scores of political and religious leaders – as well as thousands of pilgrims – will gather at the Vatican to bid farewell to Francis. The bulk of the service – which Francis took steps to 'simplify' while he was alive – will take place in St. Peter's Square. Later, his body will be taken across the River Tiber to be buried in a tomb in Rome's Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. Francis will be the first pope to be buried outside the Vatican in over a century. The funeral begins at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET). Stay with us as we bring you coverage from St. Peter's Square.
