On Wednesday, April 23, the public farewell to Pope Francis began at the Vatican, following his death on Monday at the age of 88 from a stroke and heart failure. His body was moved from his residence, Casa Santa Marta, to St. Peter’s Basilica, where it was placed on a raised platform in front of the main altar. The coffin, made of simple wood, is being guarded by Swiss Guards, reports the Baltimore Chronicle, citing The Guardian.
Due to the large influx of people, the basilica remained open until 5:30 AM on Thursday, although it had initially been scheduled to close at midnight. After an hour and a half of cleaning, the doors were reopened at 7:00 AM. According to the Vatican, more than 60,000 people had already paid their respects since the opening.
Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, known for his humility and care for the poor, expressed regret before his death about being unable to perform the traditional foot-washing ritual for prisoners. His funeral will take place on Saturday in St. Peter’s Square, with around 50 heads of state and 10 monarchs expected to attend. After the ceremony, his body will be laid to rest in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, in accordance with his wish for a simple burial.
Following the nine-day mourning period, a conclave will be held to elect the new pope. Among the possible candidates are Cardinals Luis Antonio Tagle and Pietro Parolin.
Earlier we wrote about who could be the next pontiff?