Latest news with #ConfirmationoftheDeath
RNZ News
26-04-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
In pictures: Thousands throng St Peter's Square for Pope Francis' funeral
Pope Francis in his open coffin during the rite of the Confirmation of the Death of the Pontiff at the Chapel of Santa Marta in The Vatican. Photo: AFP/Vatican Media Thousands of people gathered in St Peter's Square, Vatican City, on Saturday for the funeral of Pope Francis. The 266th Pope died aged 88 at the Vatican on Easter Monday of a stroke and heart failure, following a long illness. He reigned for 12 years. Follow along with RNZ's live blog. Nuns read through the Osservatore Romano newspaper with Pope Francis on the rear page near Santa Maria Maggiore basilica a day prior to the late Pope's funeral, in Rome on 25 April 2025. Photo: AFP / Dimitar Dilkoff Photo: AFP / Vatican media / Handout Coffin of the late Pope Francis being transported from the chapel of Santa Marta to St. Peter's Basilica. Photo: AFP/ALBERTO PIZZOLI Nuns attend a rosary for Pope Francis at the Vatican following his death. Photo: Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters People queue on the Via della Conciliazione street ahead of late Pope Francis' funeral near the Vatican, in Rome on April 26, 2025. Photo: AFP/HENRY NICHOLLS This photo, taken and handout on 25 April 2025 by The Vatican Media, shows France's President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron paying their respects to late Pope Francis as he lies in state at St Peter's basilica in The Vatican. Photo: AFP / Vatican Media Photo: AFP / Vatican media / Handout People rest in sleeping bags on the street ahead of late Pope Francis' funeral with a view of the Mausoleum of Hadrian near the Vatican, in Rome on 26 April 2025. Photo: AFP / Dimitar Dilkoff A Swiss guard stands with St Peter's Basilica in the background at St Peter's Square ahead of late Pope Francis' funeral in the Vatican on 26 April 2025. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli / AFP Former US President Joe Biden (C/R) and his wife Jill Biden (C/L) arrive ahead of the late Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at The Vatican on April 26, 2025. Photo: AFP/FILIPPO MONTEFORTE Argentina's President Javier Milei arrives for late Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. Photo: ALBERTO PIZZOLI Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his wife Anikó Lévai arrive at Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at the Vatican on 26 April 2025. Photo: Filippo Monteforte / AFP Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrives for Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at the Vatican on 26 April 2025. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli / AFP Britain's Prince William arrives ahead of the late Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at The Vatican on 26 April 2025. Photo: Filippo Monteforte / AFP Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, arrives for Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at the Vatican on 26 April 2025. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli / AFP Photo: TIZIANA FABI Photo: HENRY NICHOLLS Pallbearers carry the coffin of late Pope Francis during the funeral ceremony in St Peter's Square, at the Vatican, on 26 April 2025. Photo: Tiziana Fabi / AFP Pallbearers carry the coffin of late Pope Francis during the funeral ceremony in St Peter's Square, at the Vatican, on 26 April 2025. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli / AFP Pallbearers carry the coffin of late Pope Francis during the funeral ceremony in St Peter's Square, at the Vatican, on April 26, 2025. Photo: AFP / Alberto Pizzoli Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, Italian Archbishop Diego Ravelli (L) kneels before the coffin of late Pope Francis during his funeral ceremony in St Peter's Square, at the Vatican, on 26 April 2025. Photo: Andreas Solaro / AFP Italian cardinal Giovanni Battista Re officiates the mass in front of the coffin of late Pope Francis, during the funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. Photo: AFP/ALBERTO PIZZOLI A young faithful holds a photo of late Pope Francis during the funeral procession arrives at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore during the funeral of Pope Francis on April 26, 2025 in Rome, Italy. Photo: Alexi J. Rosenfeld / Getty Images A general view shows attendees during late Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at the Vatican on 26 April 2025. Photo: Mandel Ngan / AFP Cardinals attend the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square on April 26, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. Photo: Dan Kitwood / Getty Images Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
22-04-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Pope Francis' body to lie in state before funeral on Saturday
By Joshua McElwee and Crispian Balmer , Reuters The Vatican Media photo shows Pope Francis in his open coffin during the rite of the Confirmation of the Death of the Pontiff at the Chapel of Santa Marta in The Vatican on 22 April, 2025. Photo: AFP / Vatican media / Handout Pope Francis' funeral will be held on Saturday in St Peter's Square , Roman Catholic cardinals decided on Tuesday (Italian time), setting the stage for a solemn ceremony that will draw leaders from around the world. Francis, 88, died on Monday after suffering a stroke and cardiac arrest, ending an often turbulent reign in which he repeatedly clashed with traditionalists and championed the poor and marginalised. The pontiff spent five weeks in hospital earlier this year suffering from double pneumonia and had appeared to be slowly recovering, but the Vatican on Tuesday recounted his last moments, saying death came quickly and he had not suffered. He started to feel unwell at around 5:30am (0330 GMT) on Monday and was promptly attended to by his team. More than an hour later he made a gesture of farewell to his ever-present nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, and slipped into a coma, the Vatican's official media channel said. His time of death was given as 7:35am. The Vatican released photographs of Francis dressed in his vestments and holding a rosary, lying in an open coffin placed in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence, where he lived during his 12-year papacy. Swiss Guards stood on either side of the casket as dignitaries, including Italian President Sergio Mattarella, paid homage to the first Latin American pope. His body will be taken into the adjacent St Peter's Basilica on Wednesday morning at 9:00am (0700 GMT), in a procession that will be led by cardinals. He will lie in state there until Friday evening at 7pm. His funeral service will be held at 10:00am the following day in St Peter's Square, in front of the 16th century basilica. It will be presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the College of Cardinals. Pilgrims gather after the death of Pope Francis at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, State of Vatican, on April 21, 2025. Photo: DOMENICO CIPPITELLI US President Donald Trump, who clashed repeatedly with the pope about immigration, said he and his wife would attend. Among other heads of state set to attend were the presidents of France, Brazil, Germany, Poland, Ukraine the European Commission and Argentina, Francis' home nation. Britain's prime minister and the king and queen of Belgium will also fly in. In a break from tradition, Francis confirmed in his final testament released on Monday that he wished to be buried in Rome's Basilica of Saint Mary Major and not St Peter's, where many of his predecessors were laid to rest. Francis' death has set in motion ancient rituals, as the 1.4-billion-member Church started the transition from one pope to another, including the breaking of the pope's "Fisherman's Ring" and lead seal, used in his lifetime to seal documents, so they cannot be used by anyone else. As Catholics worldwide mourned Francis, all cardinals in Rome were summoned to a meeting on Tuesday to decide on the sequencing of events in the coming days and review the day-to-day running of the Church in the period before a new pope is elected. A conclave to choose a new pope normally takes place 15 to 20 days after the death of a pontiff, meaning it should not start before 6 May. The exact date will be decided by cardinals after Francis' funeral. Some 135 cardinals are eligible to participate in the secretive ballot, which can stretch over days before white smoke pouring from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel tells the world that a new pope has been picked. There is no clear frontrunner to succeed Francis . Pope Francis inherited a Church in disarray and worked hard to overhaul the Vatican's central administration, root out corruption and confront the scourge of child abuse within the ranks of the priesthood - with mixed results. "Things are not as bad as they were, that is for sure but they also are not as good as they could be," said Marie Collins, who was abused by a priest at the age of 13 in 1960s Ireland. Collins was a member of a papal commission for the protection of minors that was founded in 2014, but quit in 2017, saying it was hobbled by internal resistance. During his papacy, Francis often clashed with conservatives, nostalgic for a traditional past, who saw the pope as overly liberal and too accommodating to minority groups, such as the LGBTQ community. Pope Francis, right, speaking with Cardinal Mario Grech of Malta during the opening of the Synod at the Vatican in October 2021. Photo: Handout/AFP Francis appointed nearly 80 percent of the cardinal electors who will choose the next pope, increasing, but not guaranteeing, the possibility that his successor will continue his progressive policies. One of the hallmarks of Francis' reign was his decision to appoint cardinals to far-flung regions - places where Roman Catholics make up a tiny minority or where the Church is growing faster than in the mostly stagnant West. While Europe still has the largest share of cardinal electors, with about 39 percent, it is down from 52 percent in 2013, when Francis became pope. The second largest group of electors is from Asia and Oceania, with about 20 percent.
Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Jimmy Fallon mercilessly mocked over VERY controversial tribute to Pope Francis after his death
Jimmy Fallon has been slated for his tribute to Pope Francis following his death after the comedian shared his pride in making the late the head of the Catholic Church 'laugh.' Francis died on April 21 aged 88 after suffering a cerebral stroke that led to a coma and irreversible heart failure. He had been recovering in his apartment after being hospitalized for five weeks with pneumonia. Since his death, there has been an outpouring of celebrity condolences from the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Antonio Banderas and Eva Longoria. Among the tributes was a message from 50-year-old comedian and talk show host Jimmy, who sweetly recalled meeting Francis in the summer of 2024. Taking to social media on April 21, he penned: 'It was an honor meeting Pope Francis last summer. I'm glad I made you laugh. Thank you for your encouraging words. Rest in peace.' Jimmy's heartfelt acknowledgement, however, was quickly pulled apart by trolls who accused him of 'making it about himself.' Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one slammed: 'Never underestimate Hollywood's ability to conduct narcissism. Thank you, Fallon for reminding us.' 'You're making it about yourself, Jimmy!' another said. A third wrote sarcastically: 'When I die, I want all my friends to post pictures of me and say how happy they are to have made me laugh.' 'Comedians congratulating themselves,' noted a fourth. Jimmy, along with over other 100 comedians, met the Pope met at the Vatican last year, where he told them 'you can even laugh at God' while pulling a clownish gesture. Other famous guests included the likes of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chris Rock, Stephen Colbert, and Conan O'Brien. 'You unite people, because laughter is contagious,' the pontiff told the assembled group at the time, adding that he prayed for 40 years for a good sense of humor. 'While communication today often generates conflict, you know how to bring together diverse and sometimes contrary realities. How much we need to learn from you!' he said. The Vatican said the comedians were invited to 'celebrate the beauty of human diversity' and that the Pope 'recognizes the significant impact that the art of comedy has on the world of contemporary culture.' Francis made his last public appearance on Sunday, delivering an Easter blessing and making what would be his final greeting to followers from his Popemobile, looping around St. Peter's Square. On Monday night, the Vatican released photos as he was laid out in his open coffin for the Confirmation of the Death of the Pontiff ceremony. The ceremony, which lasted just under an hour, saw Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, read the official declaration of death aloud. Francis' body was also placed in an open wooden casket in the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta hotel. Two Swiss Guards stood at attention as Farrell blessed Francis with holy water. Like Jimmy, talk show host Whoopi, 69, also recalled meeting Francis last summer as she paid tribute. Alongside an image of the pair, the Sister Act star wrote: 'He was the closest in a long time that seemed to remember that Christ's love enveloped believer and none believer. 'He felt more like Pope John the 23rd who made belief real. Sail on Pope Francis with your love of humanity and laughter.' Desperate Housewives actress Eva - who met the pope in 2016 - also paid tribute, writing:' Rest in Peace, Your Holiness Pope Francis. Thank you for being an ally to many of us and speaking up for the marginalized.
Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
West Virginia man, 84, nearly dies after falling from cross during Good Friday re-enactment
An elderly man was injured after falling 10 feet off a wooden cross at a Good Friday reenactment in West Virginia. The unidentified man, 84, was airlifted to the hospital after falling off Jesus' cross at the Masonic Cemetery in Weston, located 100 miles North of the capital, Charleston, according to WDTV. The incident occurred around 12:30pm and he was not a member of the church, the outlet reported. A family member told WDTV that the man is currently in the ICU with broken ribs, but is now in stable condition. As for how the man fell off the cross, it is currently unclear. It was the church's 20th annual Good Friday celebration. Each year, three men dressed in white cloths climb up onto the tiny platforms on the crosses to reenact the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. 'There are people who are on the crosses who represent Jesus and the two thieves,' Beth Barnes, a longtime member of the church, told WV News. 'Some people don't know what Good Friday is about — our Lord Jesus Christ dying for our sins. Being on the cross, being tortured terribly, and then dying, all for our salvation,' she continued. A family member told WDTV that the man is currently in the ICU with broken ribs, but is now in stable condition. As for how the man fell off the cross, it is currently unclear 'My favorite part every year is watching the guys up on the cross. It's really touching seeing them volunteer to help teach other.' Barnes made no mention of the man falling. In another Easter weekend tragedy, Pope Francis died at the age of 88 on Easter Monday. The Pontiff spent his final hours with the faithful, emerging to bless thousands of people in St. Peter's Square on Sunday and touring the piazza in the Popemobile to wild cheers and applause after being discharged from hospital only last month. Francis had briefly met with US Vice President JD Vance for a 'quick and private' meeting at the Casa Santa Marta residence in Vatican City earlier on Sunday. He was hoped to be making a steady recovery from double pneumonia before Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, announced that he had died at 7.35am local time yesterday. 'With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite, merciful love of God, One and Tribune,' he said in a statement. Francis had only left the hospital under 'protected discharge' on March 23 after suffering an infection that developed into pneumonia in both lungs earlier this year. The Vatican has released photos of Pope Francis being laid out in his open coffin for the Confirmation of the Death of the Pontiff ceremony. The ceremony, which took place last night and lasted just under an hour, saw Cardinal Farrell read the official declaration of death aloud. Francis' body was also placed in an open wooden casket in the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta hotel. Two Swiss Guards stood at attention as Farrell blessed Francis with holy water.
Al Bawaba
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Vatican reveals Pope Francis' funeral date
ALBAWABA - The Vatican announced on Tuesday that Pope Francis' funeral will take place next Saturday, on April 26, at 10.00 a.m. (0800 GMT) at St. Peter's Basilica. Also Read JD Vance is Angel of Death? US VP mocked after Pope Francis' death Pope Francis passed away on Monday, on the second day of easter, due to a stroke, the Vatican announced hours after the death on April 21. The Vatican has not revealed any details regarding the date for the funeral. French President Emmanuel Macron will attend Pope Francis's funeral, AFP reported on Tuesday. "We will attend the pope's funeral as we should," Macron told reporters. Graphic content / This photo taken on April 21, 2025 and handout on April 22, 2025, by The Vatican Media shows Pope Francis in his open coffin during the rite of the Confirmation of the Death of the Pontiff at the Chapel of Santa Marta in The Vatican. (Photo by Handout / VATICAN MEDIA / AFP) The New York Times revealed that international memorial masses for Pope Francis are expected to be held. Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced the sad news on Telegram: "This morning at 7:35 am (0535 GMT) the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church."
