By Devin Watkins
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, will preside at the Rite of Sealing of the Coffin of the late Pope Francis, ahead of the papal funeral on Saturday morning.
The liturgical rite will be attended by several Cardinals and Holy See officials.
It will mark the end of public viewing in St Peter’s Basilica, which has seen tens of thousands of people pay their respects to the late Pope.
As his mortal remains lie in state, over 50,000 people have filed past the Altar of the Confession in the 24 hours since the Vatican Basilica opened to the faithful on Wednesday morning.
St. Peter’s Basilica remained open until 5.30 am on Thursday, closing for an hour and a half before reopening at 7.00 am.
The Office for the Liturgical Celebrations requested the presence at the Rite of Sealing of the Coffin on Friday of Cardinals Giovanni Battista Re, Pietro Parolin, Roger Mahony, Domenique Mamberti, Mauro Gambetti, Baldassare Reina, and Konrad Krajewski.
Those assisting the rite will also include Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Archbishop Ilson de Jesus Montanari, Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, the Canons of the Vatican Chapter, the Ordinary Minor Penitentiaries of the Vatican, the late Pope’s secretaries, and others admitted by the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, Archbishop Diego Ravelli.
Pope Francis’ funeral Mass will take place on Saturday, Apr 26, at 10.00 am in St Peter’s Square, marking the beginning of the Novemdiales, an ancient tradition of nine days of mourning and Masses for the repose of the late Pope’s soul.
The Novemdiales Masses will be held each day at 5.00 pm (GMT +2) in St Peter’s Basilica, except for the Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday, Apr 27, which will take place at 10.30 am in St Peter’s Square. – Vatican News
