The Pope’s death began to move ancient Vatican rituals before the new Pope election.
Pope Francis’ funeral will be held on Saturday, the Vatican announced.
The funeral will be held on Saturday at 10am (08:00 GMT). It was announced shortly after the Cardinals began a meeting to prepare their next steps. World leaders are expected to attend the ceremony before the Conclave to elect the next head of the Catholic Church.
All the Cardinals currently in Rome were summoned to a meeting to outline funeral arrangements and begin preparations for succession.
The funeral will be held in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, with Giovanni Batista Re, dean of Cardinal of College, leading the service. The Pope’s body is then taken to the cathedral of Major St. Mary in Rome, where he lies to rest.
In addition to agreeing to the timing of the funeral, the Cardinals have also decided that if they are taken to St. Peter’s Basilica at 7:00 GMT on Wednesday morning, they will be taken to St. Peter’s Basilica for public viewing. Francis is currently located in the co-home chapel of Santa Marta, where he lived during the Pope for 12 years.
The Vatican said in a statement that Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, will preside over the prayer, and then ffin will take on a short itinerary that will culminate in entering the cathedral through the central door.
Camerlengo will then preside over the altar liturgy, and at the end it will allow the nation to pay tribute to Pope Francis’ body.
Francis passed away Monday at the age of 88 after a stroke and cardiac arrest, the Vatican said.
After spending five weeks in the hospital with double pneumonia earlier this year, the Pope returned to his modest Casa Santa Marta residence almost a month ago, appearing to be under repair. He even addressed the worshipers of St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday.
His death sparked old-fashioned Vatican protocols, including the ritual destruction of the circle of fishermen and the seal of the pope, symbolizing the end of his papal authority.
World leaders and royal families, including US President Donald Trump and Argentina’s home country of Argentina, are preparing to attend funerals.
Elevated to tradition, Francis wanted to be buried outside the Vatican, not in St. Peter’s Cathedral, but in Major St. Mary’s Cathedral, home to the Virgin Mary’s favorite icon.
When an announcement was made regarding the funeral and general viewing of the body, the Vatican also published a photograph of Pope Francis in his open cow wearing a red robe carrying a papier-mè and a rosary on his head.
The church is currently preparing a conclave, which is expected to begin after May 6th. There, 135 cardinal electors, appointed by Francis, vote secretly to choose their successor.
Although there were no clear favourite appearances, Cardinals will use general congregations over the coming days to look back at the church’s future direction.