Vatican City was filled with the sounds of bells and heartfelt chants on Wednesday morning, as thousands of mourners gathered to honor the late Pope Francis.
In a moving and solemn procession, his simple wooden coffin was carried through St. Peter’s Square, marking the beginning of final rites for the beloved pontiff.
The procession began at the Domus Sancta Marta, the residence where Pope Francis passed away, and continued toward St. Peter’s Basilica. There, his body will lie in state until his funeral, scheduled for Saturday.
Two long lines of cardinals and Vatican officials escorted the coffin, while faithful from around the world looked on in prayer and reverence.
Dressed in a red chasuble and a white miter, with a rosary gently wrapped around his fingers, Pope Francis was honored with continuous applause as Swiss Guards solemnly accompanied the casket through the square.
Teresa Piuvano, a New Jersey resident who has been in Rome since March volunteering at Vatican events for the Jubilee year, saw Francis’ appearances on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. Easter, she said, “was the most special. I think he wanted to do that to say goodbye to the people because he rode around the whole square even though he was very ill.”
Inside the basilica, the pope was laid on a simple podium instead of the wooden structure, called a catafalque that has traditionally held a pope’s coffin as he lies in state. The ceremony that concluded the procession, led by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who as camerlengo is charged with overseeing the logistics of the pope’s funeral, referred to Francis in humble terms such as “bishop” and “pastor.”
“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.
After the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Francis changed the protocol for papal funerals to streamline and simplify the procedures. The pope wanted his own funeral to reflect the life of a pastor and not of a powerful king or politician, he said in interviews.
After the ceremony, cardinals proceeded to bow one by one in front of the coffin before the mourners lined up in the square were admitted.
Nearly 20,000 people visited the basilica yesterday, according to the Vatican, which added that it would ensure that all who wish to pay their final respects to the pope have a chance by staying open after midnight if necessary.
Second General Congregation of Cardinals held in the Vatican
The second General Congregation of Cardinals began yesterday afternoon in the Synod Hall at about 5:00 PM, and ended at 6:30 PM.
According to the Holy See Press Office, 103 cardinals were present. They began the meeting with the ‘Veni, Sancte Spiritus’ prayer, and then with a prayer in suffrage of Pope Francis.
The Cardinals who were not present at Tuesday’s General Congregation were sworn in.
The programme of the Novemdiales, the ancient nine-day period of mourning for the Pope, was approved.
The next General Congregation will be today at 9:00 AM.
At the first General Congregation, held on Tuesday morning, the Cardinals decided to suspend all scheduled beatifications until the new Pope can approve them.
Moreover, in accordance with the norms of Universi Dominici Gregis, a commission of three Cardinals was selected by lot to assist the Camerlengo in the governance of the Church during the sede vacante.
These three Cardinals represent the three orders of the College of Cardinals and are replaced every three days. The first group of three Cardinals chosen was Pietro Parolin (episcopal order), Stanisław Ryłko (presbyteral order), and Fabio Baggio (diaconal order).
The Holy See Press Office noted that around 20,000 people had paid their respects to the late Pope Francis as of 7:30 PM on Wednesday evening.
Why King Charles isn’t allowed at pope’s funeral
Prince William will be traveling to the Vatican to attend the funeral of Pope Francis on behalf of the British royal family later this week. And if you’re wondering why King Charles isn’t going, he literally isn’t allowed.
Royal expert Katie Nicholl writes in Vanity Fair that King Charles “will not travel to the Vatican, in accordance with protocol and precedence which dictates that the Sovereign does not attend funerals, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.” And FYI, this isn’t the first time an heir has attended the funeral of a pope on behalf of the sovereign—back in 2005, then-Prince Charles attended Pope John Paul II’s funeral instead of Queen Elizabeth.