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The funeral for Pope Francis is set to be held in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican this Saturday, with his final resting place at Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome.
Here’s the official schedule for the ceremonies honoring the late pontiff, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88.
5:30 AM — St. Peter’s Square opens to the public.
9:30 AM — U.S. President Donald Trump, along with his wife Melania, arrives at St. Peter’s Square.
10:00 AM — The funeral mass commences, led by Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals.
The sealed wooden and zinc coffin of Pope Francis will be placed before a temporary raised altar in front of the basilica.
On one side, the cardinal members in red robes will sit, while official delegations from around the globe will be seated alphabetically on the other side.
The ceremony is expected to last around 90 minutes, attended by 224 cardinals and 750 priests and bishops.
The service will include the following elements:
- Reading of liturgical texts
- A homily delivered by Cardinal Re
- A universal prayer in multiple languages
- Consecration of the bread and wine
- Exchange of peace among participants
- The Eucharist
- A moment of silence
- Sprinkling of holy water on the coffin
Once the mass concludes, the coffin will be taken inside St. Peter’s Basilica.
Approximately 11:30 AM — The coffin departs for Santa Maria Maggiore, the basilica where Pope Francis will be laid to rest.
While mourners will not be able to follow the funeral procession, the public can view it from behind metal barriers along the route.
The hearse will travel about four kilometers (approximately 2.5 miles) slowly through the streets of Rome.
Key points along the route include:
- Porta del Perugino (a western exit from Vatican City)
- Crossing the River Tiber
- Corso Vittorio Emanuele
- Piazza Venezia
- Via dei Fori Imperiali
- Colosseum
- Via Labicana
- Via Merulana
Around 1:00 PM — The coffin will arrive at Santa Maria Maggiore, where it will be greeted by a group of the “poor and needy.”
The burial, officiated by Cardinal Kevin Farrell—acting camerlengo managing the Vatican’s daily operations until a new pope is chosen—will be a private affair.
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