23-04-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
Special Belfast City Council meeting confirmed to mark death of Pope Francis
The move in the council to hold the meeting follows a proposal put forward by Sinn Fein, with the meeting set to take place on Thursday evening.
A book of condolence in the city hall will open in the coming days, with the building itself also being illuminated in yellow and white on Saturday to mark his passing and coincide with the day of his funeral.
Books of condolence are also being opened at other locations across Northern Ireland, following the death of the pontiff on Easter Monday at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta building.
Among those councils are Derry City and Strabane Council, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, and Mid Ulster Council.
John McClaughry, the chair of Fermanagh and Omagh council, said many from his part of the country travelled to the Republic during the Pope's visit to the country in 2018.
"I am conscious that many from our District will have attended the services led by the late Pope during his visit to Ireland in 2018 as part of the World Meeting of Families, and others will visited Rome during his papacy,' he added.
"His death, during this Easter season, is particularly poignant and his passing will be keenly felt by very many people in our Council District and indeed the world over.'
Other councils across the country are also expected to follow suit with books of condolence in the coming days.
Speaking about the move in Belfast, Sinn Fein Belfast councillor Ryan Murphy said: 'Pope Francis was a man of great faith and a strong, determined leader, and it's important we as a council remember and honour his legacy.
'Pope Francis held a special affinity for Ireland and our people, and he will be particularly remembered here for his visit in 2018 where he spoke he spoke passionately in support of the peace process.
"Even as he battled illness, Pope Francis continued to speak out for peace — including consistently for the people of Gaza.
'Catholics right across the world, including here in Belfast, will feel his loss deeply. May he rest in peace.'
On Wednesday morning the Pope's body will be brought to St Peter's Basilica, in a procession through Santa Marta Square and the Square of the Roman Protomartyrs.
From there, his body will lie in public view ahead of the funeral - which takes place at 10am on Saturday - so people can pay their respects to the late pontiff.
Large queues are expected to form, with the body likely to be on display 24 hours a day, according to expert Joe Ronan who works with the Catholic Voices media charity.
He recalled hundreds of thousands having queued to see the previous pope, Benedict, and said 'numbers are likely to be very strong' to see Francis.
His simple casket – as opposed to the three wooden coffins used for previous popes – will, according to his wishes, not be placed on an elevated platform.
