Pope Francis’ body is transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica for public viewing
The Catholic cardinals conducted a solemn ritual ceremony on Wednesday to transfer the body of Pope Francis from his residence in the Vatican hotel to St. Peter’s Basilica. This procession marked the beginning of three days of public viewing before the pope’s funeral.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, overseeing the Vatican administration in the interim period until the election of the next pope, led the ceremony at the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta hotel where Pope Francis resided. Dressed in their traditional red cassocks and capes, the cardinals stood in prayer as a choir sang hymns.
The casket containing Pope Francis’s body was carried by pallbearers through the Vatican’s archway gates and into St. Peter’s Square, where it was then taken into the basilica. The cardinals and Swiss Guards followed in a somber procession. Ordinary Catholics gathered in St. Peter’s Square to witness the entrance of the casket into the basilica.
The public viewing period allows people to pay their respects to the beloved pontiff. St. Peter’s Basilica will remain open until midnight on Wednesday and Thursday, with the public mourning concluding on Friday at 7 p.m. The funeral is scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, with world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, expected to attend.
Inside the basilica, Pope Francis’s casket will rest on the main altar, facing the pews, rather than on an elevated bier as with previous popes. The College of Cardinals is convening to plan the conclave for the election of the next pope and to make other decisions regarding the governance of the Catholic Church.
Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 on Monday after suffering a stroke that led to a coma and ultimately heart failure. His 12-year papacy as the 266th pope and spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church came to an end. In his final will, Pope Francis expressed his wish to be buried at St. Mary Major basilica, where his favorite icon of the Virgin Mary is located.
The pope’s health had been deteriorating due to chronic lung disease, which required hospitalization at Rome’s Gemelli hospital for 38 days earlier this year. Despite his illness, Pope Francis made a final public appearance on Easter Sunday, delivering a blessing to his followers. He also met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance on that day at the Casa Santa Marta.
As the Catholic Church mourns the loss of Pope Francis, the faithful and world leaders alike will gather to bid farewell to a beloved leader whose legacy will endure for generations to come.
