Pope Francis’ Funeral Scheduled for Saturday

The funeral of Pope Francis will take place on Saturday at 10 a.m. local time in St. Peter’s Square, with the dean of the College of Cardinals set to lead the ceremony.

Cardinals convened at the Vatican to finalize the funeral and burial arrangements for Pope Francis, as well as to schedule the conclave to elect his successor and address other matters concerning the governance of the Catholic Church, all while world leaders and the faithful mourn the loss of the pontiff.

Public viewing of Pope Francis’ body will begin Wednesday in St. Peter’s Basilica, following a procession that will carry his casket from the Vatican hotel where he lived.

In his final will, Pope Francis requested to be buried at St. Mary Major Basilica, located outside the Vatican, where his beloved icon of the Virgin Mary is housed.

Pope Francis, who battled chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed in his youth, was hospitalized on February 14 due to a respiratory crisis that led to double pneumonia.

He spent 38 days in Gemelli hospital, marking his longest hospitalization during his 12-year papacy. The Pope passed away on Easter Monday, just a day after he appeared in St. Peter’s Square to bless thousands of people.