Farewell to Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome

A memorial mass for Pope Francis has commenced at St. Peter’s Basilica, followed by the transfer of his body for burial at Santa Maria Maggiore. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, is leading the service, as reported by BELTA, citing Euronews.

The Eucharistic celebration will conclude with the prayers of Ultima commendatio and Valedictio. The Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera reports that the cardinal will sprinkle Pope Francis’s body with holy water and incense, marking the beginning of the novemdiales, or nine days of mourning for the late Pontiff. Following this, the casket will be solemnly transported to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, which was chosen by Pope Francis as his final resting place.

Five large screens have been erected in the square so that thousands of attendees can follow the funeral proceedings: two under the church courtyard, another two flanking the colonnade, and one on Via della Conciliazione, the main street leading to the square.

According to the latest estimates from the Roman police, over 140,000 people have gathered in St. Peter's Square. Additionally, 140 delegations have arrived in the Vatican to pay their respects to the deceased leader of the Catholic Church. Another 100,000 people have already assembled along Via della Conciliazione and nearby roads.

Pope Francis, the head of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, passed away at his residence in Casa Santa Marta on April 21 at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke and subsequent heart failure. He had been recovering from bilateral pneumonia, which had kept him in the hospital for five weeks.