Funeral arrangements for the death of Pope Francis will last for nine days. The Vatican also announced that the conclave to elect the next pontiff will take place within a month, ANSA reports, writes UNN.
Believers have already gathered in St. Peter's Square, some of whom saw Pope Francis alive on Easter Sunday, waving to the people.
How the funeral will take place
Papal funerals have traditionally been a complex affair, but Pope Francis recently approved plans to make the whole procedure simpler. Previous pontiffs were buried in three coffins made of cypress, lead, and oak. Pope Francis chose a simple wooden coffin lined with zinc.
He also abandoned the tradition of placing the Pope's body on a raised platform, known as a catafalque, in St. Peter's Basilica for public viewing. Instead, people who wish to bid farewell to the Pope will be invited to pay tribute while his body remains inside the coffin with the lid removed.
Francis will also be the first Pope in over a century to be buried outside the Vatican. He will be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, one of the four major papal basilicas in Rome.
Addition
The Vatican announced the death of Pope Francis. Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 in his residence at the Vatican's Santa Marta house.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to the death of Pope Francis on social media X. He stated that the Pope's life was dedicated to God, people, and the church, and that he prayed for Ukraine.
Metropolitan Epiphanius also commented on the death of Pope Francis, noting his service and help to Ukraine. He emphasized the importance of the Pope's efforts in freeing prisoners and returning children, which will "live in hearts."
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