Shafaqna English— About 250 cardinals, multitude of bishops, priests, and many people from all geographical, social, political, and cultural backgrounds, will attend the funeral for Pope Francis on Saturday (26 Apr 2025).
The diverse crowd represents the Church of Francis, the one that welcomes “everyone, everyone, everyone,” as he tirelessly repeated.
The wooden and zinc coffin of the deceased Pontiff, sealed on Friday evening, will be placed on the forecourt of the Basilica, just in front of the altar.
The funeral is the first of nine Masses to be held daily at St. Peter’s through Sunday, May 4. The funeral liturgy will be presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals.
Visiting dignitaries will be arranged at the funeral on Saturday according to protocol. The Presidents of Argentina (the Pope’s homeland) and then of Italy will be followed by members of royal households and the other presidents in French alphabetical order.
In accordance with the spiritual testament of the Bishop of Rome, the coffin will then be transported to the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major. The funeral procession will cover a distance of about four kilometers through the streets of the capital at a slow pace.
This journey will allow Romans to bid farewell to their Bishop along a path he often took to pray before the icon of the Virgin Salus Populi Romani before and after each of his 47 apostolic journeys, and even recently after his hospital stays in February and March.
Upon arriving at the Liberian Basilica, still accompanied by the Sistine Chapel choir alternating antiphons and psalms, the coffin will be welcomed by “the last ones,” a group of poor and marginalized people who always had a special place in Pope Francis’ heart. They will be the ones to give the final tribute before the coffin is carried to the altar of Saint Mary Major. The burial will take place privately.
Source: Vatican News