Pope Francis: 5 Major Activities To Be Carried Out Before Pontiff's Burial as Vatican Announces Date
- The Vatican has announced the funeral date for Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025
- This came after the rite of the certification of death and placement in the coffin was performed for the Pope, who died at 88
- Legit.ng has compiled the activities that would be carried out before the pontiff would be laid to rest
The Vatican announced the date for the pontiff’s funeral, as the burial arrangements were also released.
According to the Vatican, the funeral of the Pope will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at 10:00 Roman time.
Source: Getty Images
Some activities, however, will take place before the Pope is finally laid to rest.
Legit.ng compiled the activities, as stated in the burial arrangements.
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1. Rite of the ascertainment of Pope’s death
This is a ceremony where the Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church would ascertain the death of the late Pope Francis.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell presided over the rite of the ascertainment of death and the placement of the late Pope Francis' body in the coffin, after the cause of the death had been announced.
This ceremony took place on Monday evening, April 21, 2025, in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, where the Pope’s body was placed in the coffin.
The Pope lived in Casa Santa Marta during his 12 years of papacy, according to reports.
2. Procession of Pope’s coffin from Santa Marta to St Peter's Basilica
On Wednesday, April 23, 2025, the coffin containing the Pope’s body will be carried from the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta to St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.
The procession will pass through Santa Marta Square and the Square of the Roman Protomartyrs, according to the Holy See Press Office.
The procession will then exit through the Arch of the Bells into St. Peter’s Square and enter the Vatican Basilica through the central door.
Source: Getty Images
3. Rite of translation
Cardinal Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, will preside over the rite of translation on April 23.
The ceremony will begin at 9:00 am with a moment of prayer.
According to the statement, the Camerlengo would preside over the Liturgy of the Word at the altar of confession.
4. Visits to Pope Francis' coffin
After the Liturgy of the Word is presided over by the Cardinal Camerlengo, visits to the body of the Pope would commence.
The statement partly read:
“At the Altar of the Confession, the Cardinal Camerlengo will preside over the Liturgy of the Word, at the conclusion of which the visits to the body of the Roman Pontiff will commence.”
The Pope's coffin will be at St. Peter’s Basilica until the burial for the public to pay their respects.
The Vatican said:
“The body of the late Pope Francis will be transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday at 9:00 AM to lie in state until his funeral on Saturday morning at 10:00 AM.”
5. Funeral mass
According to the Vatican, the funeral mass would be conducted by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals.
The statement revealed that the Mass would be concelebrated by Patriarchs, Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, and priests from across the globe.
It added:
“The Eucharistic celebration will conclude with the Ultima commendatio and the Valedictio, marking the beginning of the Novemdiales, or nine days of mourning and Masses for the repose of Pope Francis' soul.”
After this, the late Pope's body will then be taken into St. Peter’s Basilica and then to the Basilica of St. Mary Major to be laid to rest.
Papal apartment sealed after Pope Francis' death
In a related story by Legit.ng, the apartment where he lived was sealed as is traditionally done after the passing of a Pope.
The doors of the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace and the door to the apartment of the Casa Santa Marta were officially sealed.
Also, the rite of the certification of death and placement in the coffin was performed for the Pope, who died at 88.
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Source: Legit.ng
