The Vatican has announced that the Congregation of Cardinals have set this Saturday, April 26, for the funeral of Pope Francis.
Requiem Mass for the Holy Father will take place at 10 am local time (9 am Ireland and UK time) outdoors in front of St Peter’s Basilica.
The dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, will lead the service.
At the end of the funeral, Re will deliver the final commendation – a concluding prayer where the Pope will be formally entrusted to God – and the body moved to St Mary Major for burial.
The Vatican released a picture of Pope Francis in his open coffin, dressed in a red robe with the papal mitre on his head and a rosary in his hand.
The image was taken in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, Francis’s residence at the Vatican.
The Vatican say: “The rite confirming the death and the placement of Pope Francis’s body in the coffin took place on the evening of Monday 21 April in the ground-floor chapel of the Casa Santa Marta.
“The official declaration of death was read aloud. The act was validated by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church.
“The ceremony lasted just under an hour.
“Seals were also placed on the papal apartment on the third floor of the Apostolic Palace and on the apartment on the second floor of Casa Santa Marta, where the Pope had resided.
“On Tuesday morning, the first General Congregation of Cardinals took place, during which the date for the funeral was agreed for this Saturday.”
Pope Francis died aged 88 on Easter Monday from a stroke and heart failure.
The Pope’s simple casket will be moved to St Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday before burial so the public can pay their respects to the Holy Father.
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