Death of the Pope: Farewell to Francis – Rome before a big funeral service

The world is saying goodbye to Pope Francis this Saturday. The Argentine -born, who was at the head of more than 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, is buried in his favorite church in Rome: the Marienkirche Santa Maria Maggiore. Previously, on a distance of six kilometers – for the first time in more than a century – a funeral train from the Vatican is moving through the city.

Hundreds of state guests from all over the world are expected to become a big requiem on St. Peter’s Square. The coffin will then be in front of the largest church of Christians in the open air. The day before, another tens of thousands came to St. Peter’s Basilica to take a last look at the openly raged Francis. To do this, they had to accept hours of waiting.

Around 250,000 say goodbye to the open coffin

Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. Just a day earlier, after the Easter blessing, he had been driving across St. Peter’s Square one last time. After lying in the hospital in the spring with pneumonia between life and death, he finally suffered a stroke.

The grief for the late Pontifex is great. According to the Vatican, around 250,000 people have passed the coffin since Wednesday, from early morning to late into the night. Sometimes there were chaotic scenes. After selfies were even made at the beginning, the guards at the coffin warned: “No photos!” Tourists were also rejected due to inappropriate clothing. The gates of St. Peter’s Basilica were closed on Friday evening.

Afterwards, the ceremonial closure of the coffin was on the program. According to Catholic rite, a white silk towel is placed over the face of the dead Pope in the presence of a few cardinals. After a last night in St. Peter’s Basilica, the coffin comes to St. Peter’s Square. There will also be more than 220 cardinals there – including many who will choose the new Pope.

Funeral procession by Rome as in a long time no longer

Among other things, state guests are expected: US President Donald Trump with his wife Melania, the British heir to the throne Prince William and the head of state from Francis’ Heimatland Argentina, Javier Milei. All in all, there are more than 150 international delegations, including representatives of other large religions. Among other things, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the executive Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrive from Germany.

Because of the major event that is transferred to all over the world, Rome is in a state of emergency. Many roads are already closed. More than 10,000 security forces are in use. In addition to celebrities, around 200,000 other mourners are expected on St. Peter’s Square alone. In addition, the Pope will probably have hundreds of thousands to the Pope along the six -kilometer path to Santa Maria Maggiore.

Burial with poor and homeless

The eternal city has not seen such a funeral procession for a long time. Most recently, a Pope was buried outside of the Vatican walls in 1924: Pope Leo XIII, who died in 1903. Was brought to the Lateran basilica San Giovanni in Laterano overnight. This time everything will be different. The funeral procession leads in the bright day – 23 degrees and sunshine – past many sights, including the Colosseum. According to the Vatican, this will take about half an hour.

The actual burial in Santa Maria Maggiore then takes place in a relatively small scale – with several cardinals, but also with Francis’ nurse Massimiliano Strappetti, who had provided him with his very last hours. At the special request of the late church captain, some arms and homeless people should also be there.

Only Franciscus is on the grave

The grave is also rather simple: a white marble plate alone with the Latin papal name Franciscus in capital letters. The Argentinian – bourgeois name Jorge Mario Bergoglio – didn’t even want to mention that he was Pope (Pontifexus Maximus). However, a replica of his silver -colored chest cross (Pectoral) was appropriate.

The politicians will probably also use the encounters on the edge of the funeral celebrations for discussions on other topics. This is called “funeral diplomacy”. In Rome, like Trump, for example, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and France’s head of state Emmanuel Macron are also present. The Ukrainian head of state Wolodymyr Selenskyj, who also wanted to come, indicated the evening before that he might not travel to Rome.

For Trump, it is the first trip abroad ever after returning to the White House. Before departure in Washington, he had announced that there could be a meeting with Selenskyj. According to the official schedule, he flies back shortly after the funeral service.

Cardinals are already advising on the upcoming conclave

There are already intensive advice in the world of the Catholic Church. The cardinals’ circle is about the upcoming conclave, in which the successor to Francis is probably chosen in early May. There will then be about 135 cardinals that have not exceeded the age limit of 80 years. They have met for the so -called Congregation of General since Tuesday. The Vatican has not yet announced official details.

The appointment for the conclave will probably be announced next week. As always, the decision is made in the Sistine chapel. When white smoke rises, it means that there is a new Pope. Shortly thereafter, the Middle Loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica announces: Habemus Papam. Then the successor of Francis in the white pope robe shows the public.