The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis’ coffin will be sealed during a solemn liturgical rite in St Peter’s Basilica on Friday, April 25, at 8:00 pm. This ceremony, known as the Rite of Sealing of the Coffin, precedes the official funeral scheduled for Saturday morning.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, will preside over the rite, which will mark the end of public viewing of the late Pontiff’s body. Faithful were allowed to pay their final respects from Wednesday morning through Thursday evening, with St Peter’s Basilica extending its opening hours to accommodate the large crowds.
The ceremony will be attended by several high-ranking clergy members, including Cardinals Giovanni Battista Re, Pietro Parolin, Roger Mahony, Domenique Mamberti, Mauro Gambetti, Baldassare Reina, and Konrad Krajewski. Other participants include Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Archbishop Ilson de Jesus Montanari, Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, and various Vatican officials admitted by the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, Archbishop Diego Ravelli. The event will be broadcast live via Vatican News channels.
Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88. According to Vatican health authorities, his death was caused by a stroke and subsequent irreversible heart failure. The medical report, signed by Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, noted the Pope’s existing health conditions, including acute respiratory failure, bilateral pneumonia, multiple bronchiectases, hypertension, and Type II diabetes.
The funeral for Pope Francis will be held outdoors in front of St Peter’s Basilica on Saturday, April 26, at 10:00 am local time (09:00 BST). Thousands of mourners, dignitaries, and clergy from around the world are expected to attend the historic ceremony to bid farewell to the first Jesuit Pope and the first from the Americas.
Pope Francis leaves behind a lasting legacy defined by his humility, advocacy for the poor, commitment to interfaith dialogue, and efforts to reform the Catholic Church. His passing marks the end of an era, and the world now mourns the loss of a spiritual leader who touched millions of lives
