Thousands pay tributes at Pope Francis’ body’s public viewing
As Francis' body was brought around the square in a plain wooden casket, the ringing of bells and the fervent prayers of thousands of worshippers reverberated throughout Vatican City.
Two lengthy columns of cardinals and Vatican officials carried Pope Francis' body in a sad procession yesterday morning from his home, the Domus Sancta Marta, to St. Peter's Basilica, where it will be until his funeral on Saturday.
A sizable group of mourners gathered in the square to offer the pontiff, who was wearing a scarlet chasuble, a white miter on his head, and a rosary around his fingers, his last respects. The square erupted in cheers as Swiss Guards escorted the casket.
Francis' visits on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday were witnessed by Teresa Piuvano, a New Jersey resident who has been in Rome since March to help at Vatican activities during the Jubilee year. "Easter was the most special," she stated. Despite his severe illness, he rode around the entire plaza, therefore I believe he did that to bid the people farewell.
Instead of the catafalque, a wooden structure that has historically held a pope's coffin as he lies in state, the pope was laid on a plain podium inside the church. Francis was addressed to as "bishop" and "pastor" in the ritual that ended the procession, which was headed by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who as Camerlengo is responsible for managing the arrangements for the pope's funeral.
“Dearest brothers and sisters, with great emotion we accompany the mortal remains of our Pope Francis into the Vatican basilica where he often exercised his ministry as the bishop of the church that is in Rome and as pastor of the universal church,” Farrell said in the prayer service.
Francis simplified and expedited the papal burial ritual following the passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. In interviews, the pope stated that he wanted his own burial to honor the life of a pastor rather than that of a strong monarch or politician.
After the service, cardinals continued to bow one by one in front of the casket before the mourners queued up in the Piazza were admitted.
The Vatican said that around 20,000 people came to the basilica yesterday and that it will stay open past midnight if needed to give everyone who wanted to pay their last respects to the pope a chance.
The Holy See Press Office reported that there were 103 cardinals in attendance. The "Veni, Sancte Spiritus" prayer opened the gathering, followed by a prayer in support of Pope Francis.
The Cardinals who missed the General Congregation on Tuesday were sworn in.
The Novemdiales program, which commemorates the Pope's traditional nine-day time of mourning, was accepted.
At 9:00 AM today, there will be the second General Congregation.
The Cardinals resolved to halt all planned beatifications until the new Pope could accept them during the first General Congregation, which took place Tuesday morning.
Additionally, a commission of three Cardinals was chosen at random to help the Camerlengo run the Church during the sede vacante in compliance with Universi Dominici Gregis' rules.
Every three days, these three Cardinals are swapped out to symbolize the three orders of the College of Cardinals. Pietro Parolin (episcopal order), Stanisław Ryłko (presbyteral order), and Fabio Baggio (diaconal order) were the first three Cardinals selected.
As of 7:30 PM on Wednesday, the Holy See Press Office reported that around 20,000 individuals had visited the late Pope Francis.The Vatican hosted the Second General Congregation of Cardinals.
Yesterday afternoon, the Synod Hall hosted the second General Congregation of Cardinals, which started at approximately 5:00 PM and lasted at 6:30 PM.
The Holy See Press Office reported that there were 103 cardinals in attendance. The "Veni, Sancte Spiritus" prayer opened the gathering, followed by a prayer in support of Pope Francis.
The Cardinals who missed the General Congregation on Tuesday were sworn in.
The Novemdiales program, which commemorates the Pope's traditional nine-day time of mourning, was accepted.
At 9:00 AM today, there will be the second General Congregation.
The Cardinals resolved to halt all planned beatifications until the new Pope could accept them during the first General Congregation, which took place Tuesday morning.
Additionally, a commission of three Cardinals was chosen at random to help the Camerlengo run the Church during the sede vacante in compliance with Universi Dominici Gregis' rules.
Every three days, these three Cardinals are swapped out to symbolize the three orders of the College of Cardinals. Pietro Parolin (episcopal order), Stanisław Ryłko (presbyteral order), and Fabio Baggio (diaconal order) were the first three Cardinals selected.
As of 7:30 PM on Wednesday, the Holy See Press Office reported that around 20,000 individuals had visited the late Pope Francis.
Later this week, Prince William will represent the British royal family by traveling to the Vatican to attend Pope Francis's funeral. If you're wondering why King Charles isn't attending, the answer is that he isn't permitted to go.
King Charles “will not travel to the Vatican, in accordance with convention and precedence which stipulates that the Sovereign does not attend funerals, Buckingham Palace has confirmed,” according to royal expert Katie Nicholl in Vanity Fair. Just so you know, this is not the first time an heir has represented the sovereign at a pope's funeral. In 2005, Prince Charles, who was then Queen Elizabeth's heir, attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II.
That said, King Charles did visit the pope just a few days before his recent dying, and he published a statement after his death.
