Pope Francis Laid to Rest: A Reflection on His Legacy and the Path Ahead
Pope Francis's open coffin was transferred on Wednesday, April 23, to St. Peter's Basilica, where he will lie in state for three days. Thousands gathered to pay their respects to the beloved leader of the global Catholic community. The solemn bells of the basilica resonated through St. Peter's Square as the wooden coffin was carried in procession, flanked by red-robed cardinals and the Vatican's Swiss Guards. Pilgrims and tourists alike snapped photos and applauded as the procession moved from the Santa Marta residence, where the 88-year-old Argentine pontiff passed away on Monday after suffering a stroke.
Following his death, Pope Francis's body had been held in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence where he lived during his 12-year papacy. Now, as he lies in state at the basilica until his funeral on Saturday, the atmosphere is charged with emotions from the gathered crowds. His coffin has been placed before St. Peter's Altar of the Confession, under the majestic dome created by Michelangelo, resting on a simple low bier rather than the more ornate platforms typically reserved for his predecessors.
The upcoming funeral is anticipated to draw hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, including world leaders such as U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, and Britain's Prince William. Following the ceremony, Pope Francis's coffin will be taken to his favored church, Rome’s papal basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, for interment marked simply as 'Franciscus'.
In preparation for this monumental event, Italy has launched a major security operation, compounded by a public holiday on Friday that is expected to draw even larger crowds. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi has stated that authorities are anticipating between 150 to 170 foreign delegations, alongside tens of thousands of visitors. Barriers are being established inside and outside the basilica to manage the flow of mourners, amidst increases in security checks and distribution of water bottles due to the warm weather.
Italy has declared five days of national mourning, longer than the three days observed for Polish Pope John Paul II in 2005, yet not quite as lengthy as the week-long mourning period declared by Argentina, Francis's homeland.
Following the funeral, the focus will shift toward the process of selecting Francis's successor, the new leader of over 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide. Cardinals from around the globe have been summoned back to Rome to partake in this consequential conclave. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote, and the conclave is expected to convene no less than 15 days and no more than 20 days after the pope's death. A gathering of around 60 cardinals already present in Rome convened on Tuesday to decide upon the funeral date, with another meeting slated for Wednesday afternoon led by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo tasked with overseeing the day-to-day affairs of the Holy See until a new pope is elected.
The passing of Pope Francis comes after a brief recovery from pneumonia, a program that included a five-week hospitalization. Despite doctors advising him to rest, he continued to make public appearances during his convalescence, though he appeared noticeably short of breath and low on energy. Notably, on Easter Sunday, the day before he died, Francis circled St. Peter's Square in his popemobile following Mass and offered his traditional Easter greetings, stopping to embrace and bless infants along the way. He died the next morning at 7:35 a.m. after enduring a stroke, a coma, and heart failure, according to his death certificate.
As the world mourns a beloved pontiff, reflections on Pope Francis's enduring legacy will ripple throughout the Catholic Church and beyond, as faithful await the emergence of new leadership.
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