By Ayo Kehinde
The funeral Mass of Pope Francis will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at 10:00 am in St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican announced on Tuesday.
Pope Francis “died on Easter Monday at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta.”
A press statement issued on Tuesday by the Holy See stated that Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside at the Mass, which will be concelebrated by Patriarchs, Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, and priests from across the globe.
“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”, it added.
The late Pope’s body will then be taken into St. Peter’s Basilica and then to the Basilica of St. Mary Major for entombment.
Earlier on Wednesday, the coffin containing the body of the late Pope was transferred from the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta to St. Peter’s Basilica to lie in state until his funeral on Saturday morning.
According to the press statement, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, will preside over the rite of translation on Wednesday, April 23, at 9:00 AM with a moment of prayer.
“The procession will pass through Santa Marta Square and the Square of the Roman Protomartyrs. 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.
“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 statement added.
