The Vatican announced Monday that Pope Francis passed away at 88 following a stroke. While the funeral date remains unconfirmed, tradition dictates a series of rituals preceding the burial.
Francis previously modified the funeral rites to be used upon his death, . Despite these changes, many rituals will still adhere to centuries-old practices. On Monday, Vatican officials sealed the pope’s apartment in the Apostolic Palace, marking the door handles with a red ribbon secured with wax, in accordance with Catholic tradition.
Here’s what to know about the funeral rituals for Pope Francis.
The Vatican on Monday stated that Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo (who administers the Vatican between the death or resignation of a pope and the election of a successor), will oversee the formal confirmation of Francis’ death and the placement of his body in the coffin later that evening. Doctors, cardinals, and members of Francis’ family will be present.
reports that the camerlengo will remove and destroy the papal ring from the pope’s finger; a new ring will be created for the next pope. Francis’ body will lie in repose in his private chapel for the official declaration of death.
Subsequently, Francis’ coffin will be moved to St. Peter’s Basilica for public viewing. The Director of the Holy See Press Office told journalists on Monday that Francis’ body to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning, with the camerlengo leading the procession. In line with his reforms, Francis eliminated the requirement for the body to be displayed on an elevated bier; instead, the body will be placed in a simple coffin facing the congregation, .
reports that the pope’s burial typically occurs between the fourth and sixth day following death, with the dean of the College of Cardinals usually presiding over the funeral. Francis’ revised rites allow for burial outside the Vatican. He had expressed a desire to be buried in the St. Mary Major Basilica, rather than St. Peter’s Basilica or its grottoes, the usual burial site for popes, .
A nine-day period of official mourning, known as the “novendiali,” will commence after the funeral.
