The funeral of Pope Francis will be divided into 3 parts. This will happen.

Joanne M. Pierce He is a professor of religious studies Holy Cross Academy.

The 88-year-old pope is already well aware of his vulnerability and his age. As early as 2015, Pope Francis The Basilica of Santa Maria Magior, a fifth-century church in Rome, was dedicated to the blessed Virgin Mary. He was so dedicated to Mary and her cathedral that on every trip he traveled abroad he would visit it after returning to Rome for praying and meditating.

Since the 17th century, when Pope Clement IX was arranged there, no pope was buried in Santa Maria Maggiore.

I am an expert in the history of Catholic liturgy. For the early centuries, the funeral of the pope was an exhaustive business, suitable for the rituals of the Renaissance princes or other wealthy figures. But in recent years, these rituals have been simplified. As Pope Francis prescribed, here are the steps that the ceremony will follow.

The first station: physical preparation

The funeral ceremony is divided into three parts, called the station. The first time happened in the Pope’s private chapel after certification of medical professionals His death. Until recently, this phase took place at the Pope’s bedside.

After resting in the church, the Cardinal is the Pope’s photographer – the Pope’s chief of staff – who will arrange for the funeral. He is also responsible for running the Vatican until The new pope is elected. The current photographer is Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, appointed in 2019 by Francis.

Just as for centuries, the photographer will formally give the Pope the dead through his full name when his baptized baby Jorge Mario Bergoglio was baptized. There are narratives or legends that at present, the Pope has also been dug three times on his forehead with a small silver hammer. However, there is no evidence that this actually proved the death of the pope a few centuries ago.

Traditionally, another ancient ceremony will be held after the announcement of the Pope’s death: the destruction of the Pope’s ring. Each pope wore a custom ring with an image of a man fishing from a boat, returning to Matthew’s gospel, Jesus called St. Peter “the fisherman of man.” The fisherman’s ring, with the image engraved with the name of the current pope, can be used as a seal of official documents. Camerlengo will break Francis’ ring and smash the seal with a hammer or other instrument to prevent anyone else from using it.

The Pope’s apartment will also be locked and no one can enter. Traditionally, this is to prevent robbery.

Second stop: Watch the body

The deceased pope will wear his simple white cassava and red costume and place it in a simple wooden coffin. This will be carried to St. Peter’s Basilica in the parade and will be viewed publicly within the next three days.

During this viewing, the Pope’s body will remain in the plain, open coffin, to emphasize the Pope’s despicable role as a priest, rather than the head of state. The earlier approach was to place the body on a high raised platform called catafalque. This ends with the funeral of Pope Benedict XVI in 2022.

Pope Benedict was also the last Pope buried in a traditional coffin of cypress, lead and elm. The two coffins contain specific documents about his religious beliefs. The first coffin also carries a traditional three bag of coins (gold, silver and copper), representing his purpose.

At Francis’ funeral, after public viewing, a pure white cloth will be placed on the pope’s face as he lay on the papal’s coffin, which is the continuation of the papal’s funeral. But this will be the first time only one coffin is used. It may contain a document describing his religion and a bag of coins.

The funeral will then be celebrated at St. Peter’s Basilica, which is likely to be inside due to the end of winter weather and outside with a group of believers gathering in the square. Hollery will reflect on the life and spirituality of the deceased Pope. Frances himself preached at the funeral of his retired former Pope Benedict. and future Pope Benedict preached at the funeral of Pope St. John II as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, when Ratzinger was the leader or dean of all senior church officials, the well-known Cardinal College.

The current dean is 91-year-old Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, and it is unclear whether he can continue this tradition due to his age. Nine days after the death of the masses, the masses will continue to say in Francis’ memory – this period is called Novendialis. This ritual was inspired by the ancient Roman tradition, which prescribed a period of mourning, ending on the ninth day after death.

The third stop: Burial

In the past, the Pope was buried in several different places. Until the early fourth century before the Roman Empire legalized the Roman Empire, the pope would be buried in catacombs, a cemetery in the suburbs of Rome.

Afterwards, the pope can be buried in many different locations, such as the Basilica of St. John Leyland in the official Roman cathedral or other churches in and around Rome. In the 14th century, when the Pope moved to the French border for political reasons, some people were even buried in France.

Most popes are buried in the grottoes below St. Peter’s Basilica, and since the burial of Pope King XII in 1903, each pope has been buried in St. Peter’s Basilica. However, according to Francis’ wishes, Rome may have a parade to Santa Maria Maggiore, including hearse and carriages carrying other cars that will attend this private ceremony.

After several final prayers and sprinkled with holy water, the coffin will be placed in the last position within the church. It was not until later that the area opened prayers and worship to the public.

Many journeys from Rome to visit Catholic communities around the world, and so many cathedrals for prayer and meditation, seemed appropriate, and at the end of his life journey, Francis would take his last trip to the church.

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