After a week of global mourning for Pope Francis, who died on April 21 at 88, he was buried in the papal basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. The service has marked a poignant moment in Catholic history, attracting dignitaries from around the world to the Vatican. Representatives of 123 countries, including 61 heads of state and 42 representatives of the government, attended the solemn mass, reflecting the world impact of the Papacy of Francis.
The papacy of Pope Francis was notable for the progressive reforms he brought to the Roman Catholic Church. He appointed more than half of the current Cardinals College and tried to promote more positive attitudes towards members of the LGBT community and migrants around the world.
A simpler service
The pope’s funerals were less elaborate than that of other popes by his own wishes. Francis simplified papal funeral rites Last year, allowing its burial outside the Vatican and emphasizing its role as bishop rather than Pope (the pope is also the bishop of Rome).
The previous popes were buried in three coffins: one of cypresses, one of lead and a oak. Francis asked to be buried in a single wooden and line of zinc coffin and not to be placed in a high beer like other popes.
During the funeral, the coffin was taken from the Saint-Pierre basilica and placed on a platform on Saint-Pierre square, where Cardinal Giovanni Battista heads the service. After the service, the coffin returned to the Saint-Pierre basilica before being transported to the other side of the Tiber river and to the papal basilica of Saint Mary Major for burial.
Most popes are buried in the Saint-Pierre basilica or its caves, but Francis chose The St. Mary Major basilica to reflect its veneration of an icon of the Virgin Mary who is there, the Salus Populi Romani (salvation of the people of Rome).
The funeral mass of Pope Francis is the first of the nine masses held daily in Saint-Pierre until May 4. It is an ancient tradition of the Catholic Church which observes nine days of consecutive mourning. A different group Mourning people will participate every day, although the Eucharistic celebrations are open to everyone.
Who attended the funeral of Pope Francis?
Hundreds of people, including world leaders and members of the royal family, attended the Pope’s funeral.
Notable participants included King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, the King and Queen of Jordan and the Crown Prince and the Princess of the Crown of Norway, were present. Prince William of the United Kingdom attended his father, King Charles III.
In the United States, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were present, stressing the international importance of the event. This marked Trump’s first foreign trip during his second term. Former President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, devoted Catholics, also attended the funeral.
The conclave begins on May 7
The cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church will begin to vote on May 7 for his successor in an assembly known as the Conclave. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are authorized to vote during a papal election, which means that 135 of the 252 existing cardinals are currently eligible to participate in the next elections.
The conclave can take days or even weeks to end. Two -thirds of the votes of cardinals are necessary to elect the next pope. The conclave occurs behind closed doors and the statement of voting is never made public.
Although in the 13th century it would have taken three years To choose a pope, modern conclaves were much shorter. Pope Francis was elected in 2013 during the fifth ballot on the second day of the conclave.
Find out more: Where to watch conclave, the Vatican thriller in the election of a new pope
Who are the contenders?
Several cardinals are considered to be very potential candidates for the papacy. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi from Italy is known for his diplomatic efforts and his alignment with the vision of Pope Francis. The Cardinal Luis Tagle of the Philippines is also a leading figure, recognized for his plea for social justice and the reduction of poverty. And Cardinal Peter Turkson from Ghana is discussed as a first possible African pope in the modern era.
Look for white smoke
After the voting of the cardinals and that their ballots are counted, the ballots are burned and chemicals are added to the flames to produce black smoke in the event of a majority. When a new pope has been selected, chemicals will be added to the flames to produce white smoke. The crowds meet on Saint-Pierre square to monitor the results.
If you are fascinated by the process, you can watch a dramatized version of the events of the Conclave 2024 film.
In the film, Ralph Fiennes embodies Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, who heads the election of the next pope while investigating rumors about potential candidates. The film is based on Robert Harris’s 2016 novel and is completely fictitious – although it represents some of the events in the way in which real papal conclaves occur. In March, the film won the Academy Award for the best suitable script.
You can broadcast a conclave on Amazon Prime Video, or rent it for $ 6 on Apple TV, Fandango at Home, YouTube or Google Play Films.
For those who wish to follow the developments of the real conclave, updates and live analyzes will be available from the main press organizations and official Vatican channels.
