Catholic cardinals performed the ritual ceremony on Wednesday to transfer Pope Francis’ body from his home in the Vatican hotel to St. Peter’s Basilica to offer three days of public viewing before his funeral.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is running the Vatican administration until Francis’ successor is elected, presided over the ceremony in the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta hotel where Francis lived.
A choir sang as cardinals wearing their red cassocks and capes stood in prayer.
Francis’ casket was escorted by a procession of solemn cardinals and Swiss Guards through the same piazza where he greeted the faithful from his popemobile just days before in what would be his final goodbye.
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Pallbearers carried the simple wooden coffin on their shoulders through the Vatican’s archway gates and out into St. Peter’s Square and into the basilica. The cardinals and the Swiss Guards processed slowly behind.
Ordinary faithful filled St. Peter’s Square to watch the procession enter the basilica.
Heads of state are expected for the funeral Saturday in St. Peter’s Square, but the three days of public viewing are largely for ordinary Catholics to pay their respects to the pontiff.
The basilica is being kept open until midnight on Wednesday and Thursday. The public mourning period will end on Friday at 7 p.m., when Francis’ casket will be closed and sealed.
The funeral has been set for Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square. Leaders from around the world, including U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy and Argentine President Javier Milei, will attend the funeral for the pope, who was born in Argentina.
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Inside the basilica, Francis’ casket will not be put on an elevated bier like with past popes. Instead, it will just be placed on the main altar of the 16th-century basilica, simply facing the pews.
Cardinals continue to meet this week to plan the conclave to elect the next pope and make other decisions about running the Catholic Church.
Francis died Monday morning at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke that landed him in a coma and resulted in his heart failure. His death marked the end of his 12-year papacy as the 266th pope and spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
The pope, who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed when he was younger, spent 38 days in Rome’s Gemelli hospital starting on Feb. 14 to treat a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia.
He was still recovering when he made his last public appearance on Sunday, delivering an Easter blessing and what would be his final greeting to followers from his popemobile. The pope also met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Easter Sunday at the Casa Santa Marta.
In his final will, Francis confirmed he would be buried at St. Mary Major basilica, which is located outside the Vatican and home to his favorite icon of the Virgin Mary.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
