The latest on Pope Francis funeral and what comes next: April 22, 2025

The latest on Pope Francis funeral and what comes next

The rituals surrounding the Pope Francis’ death, funeral and the next conclave are interesting. Here is a timeline of what happens.

Monday, April 21, 2025

At 9:35am Rome time, Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced the death of Pope Francis. The head of the Vatican’s health services determines the cause of death and issues a report.

At 8pm Rome time, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camarlengo, presided over what is known at the rite of ascertainment of death and placement of the late Pope Francis’ body in the coffin. Pope Francis body is placed in the coffin at the Casa Santa Marta Chapel.

The papal apartments were sealed by Cardinal Kevin Farrell.

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

The Press Office of the Holy See announces that Pope Francis’ funeral will be on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at 10am Rome Time (4am eastern daylight time). Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean of the College of Cardinals will preside.

The Holy See Press Office releases the following about the translation of the body of Pope Francis to Saint Peter’s Basilica.

On Wednesday 23 April 2025, at 9.00, the coffin with the deceased Roman Pontiff Francis will be carried from the Chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae to the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter, in accordance with the provisions of the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis (nos. 41-65).

After the moment of prayer, presided over by His Reverend Eminence Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, the translation will begin.

The procession will cross Piazza Santa Marta and Piazza dei Protomartiri Romani; from the Arco delle Campane it will enter Saint Peter’s Square and enter the Vatican Basilica via the central door.

At the Altar of the Confessio, the Cardinal Camerlengo will preside over the Liturgy of the Word, at the end of which the visits to the body of the Roman Pontiff will begin.

On Tuesday morning, the first of the General Congregations occurred. Here is what happened.

Paragraphs 12 and 13 were read by Cardinal Farrell, which outlines the processes that must be followed.

The cardinals confirmed the dates and times for the translation of the body of Pope Francis and for his funeral.

Three cardinals are chosen by lot to assist the Cardinal Kevin Farrell in the governance of the church during the sede vacante, or the time between the death of a pope and the election of a new pope. There are three orders of cardinals. There are cardinal-bishops, cardinal-priests, and cardinal-deacons. These are distinct from the state of the cardinals received in the sacrament of Holy Orders. The three cardinals chosen are Pietro Parolin (episcopal order), Stanisław Ryłko (presbyteral order), and Fabio Baggio (diaconal order). New cardinals are chosen by lot every three days.

At 7pm Rome time a rosary was prayed for Pope Francis.

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

At 9am, Cardinal Kevin Farrell will lead a short prayer service for the rite of translation, or moving in procession the body of Pope Francis from the chapel at Casa Santa Marta to Saint Peter’s Basilica. Public veneration of the body of Pope Francis will begin and will continue until the funeral on Saturday.

The second of the General Congregations of cardinals occurs.

Pope Francis’ body lies in state at St. Peter’s Basilica from 11:00 AM to midnight (Rome time).

The Vatican Press Office releases the following:

Nine days in suffrage

The first day of the Novemdiales will be marked by Pope Francis’ funeral Mass in St. Peter’s Square at 10:00 AM.

In the following days, celebrants for the Novemdiales Masses will be as follows (all times are local time in Rome – GMT +2):

–  Second Day: Sunday, April 27, at 10:30 AM in St. Peter’s Square. The Mass will be presided by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the group will be the employees and faithful of Vatican City.

–  Third Day: Monday, April 28, at 5:00 PM in St. Peter’s Basilica. Mass will be presided by Cardinal Baldassare Reina, Vicar General of His Holiness for the Diocese of Rome, and the group will be the Church of Rome.

–   Fourth Day: Tuesday, April 29, at 5:00 PM in St. Peter’s Basilica. The Chapters of the Papal Basilicas will be the group at the Mass presided by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican.

–   Fifth Day: Wednesday, April 30, at 5:00 PM in St. Peter’s Basilica. Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside Mass, with the group being the Papal Chapel.

–   Sixth Day: Thursday, May 1, at 5:00 PM in St. Peter’s Basilica. Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, will preside the Mass, with the group being the Roman Curia.

–   Seventh Day: Friday, May 2, at 5:00 PM in St. Peter’s Basilica. The Mass will be presided by Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect Emeritus of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, with the group being the Eastern Churches.

–   Eighth Day: Saturday, May 3, at 5:00 PM in St. Peter’s Basilica. Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, Pro-Prefect Emeritus of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, will preside the Mass, with members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

–   Ninth Day: Sunday, May 4, at 5:00 PM in St. Peter’s Basilica. Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, Protodeacon of the College of Cardinals, will preside the Mass with the Papal Chapel group.

Only Cardinals will be allowed to concelebrate the Masses dedicated to the Papal Chapel on April 30 and May 4.

The Second General Congregation of Cardinals was held. The cardinals not present at the first congregation were sworn in. They sane Veni, Creator Spiritus. The meeting began at 5pm (Rome time) and ended at 6:30pm (Rome time).

Thursday, April 24, 2025

Pope Francis’ body lies in state at St. Peter’s Basilica from 7:00 AM to midnight (Rome time).

Friday, April 25, 2025

Pope Francis’ body lies in state at St. Peter’s Basilica 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM (Rome time).

Saturday, April 26, 2025

Pope Francis’ Funeral at St. Peter Basilica at 10 AM Rome time.

The nine day novena, or the novendiales, begins today. The United States Conference of Catholic bishops has prepared a pdf version of the novena.

Sunday, April 27, 2025

Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office, said the Mass originally scheduled for the Jubilee for Adolescents April 27 would be one of the eight memorial Masses that follow the funeral of the pope. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who was secretary of state under Pope Francis, will preside.

The Conclave

The term conclave means “with key.” As some elections of the pope dragged on, sometimes even years, new processes were developed to speed things along. The conclave begins with a Mass, and then the expression, Extra Omnes! (Everyone out!).

The conclave must begin between May 5 to May 10. It can start earlier if the cardinals agree.

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