Pope Francis dies newest: Prince William and Trump to attend funeral whereas particulars of pope’s closing hours emerge
World leaders, cardinals and crowds of pilgrims are expected to flock to the Vatican for Pope Francis’ funeral on Saturday.
The Prince of Wales will join the likes of US president Donald Trump, Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky to pay their respects to the pontiff, who died aged 88 on Monday.
Officials at the Vatican released images of the late pope in an open casket on Tuesday, and confirmed that he had died from a stroke that led to a coma and irreversible heart failure.
He is said to have showed the first signs of sudden illness two hours before passing, according to the Vatican news outlet, which reported he made a gesture of farewell with his hand to his nurse before falling into a coma.
His body will be moved to St Peter’s basilica on Wednesday to allow the public to pay their respects ahead of his funeral in St Peter’s Square and burial at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.
His death came after he was hospitalised with double pneumonia for several weeks in February, before he returned to the Vatican in mid-March to recover.
When is Pope Francis’ funeral? Timeline and what to expect from Vatican ceremony
Cardinals congregated the following day to establish the date of the funeral ahead of the papal conclave in which a new pope will be selected.
The mourning process is set to keep in with centuries worth of tradition, including the Novemdiales – or nine days of mourning – which allegedly dates back to Roman times.
Here is the timeline of events from the pope’s death and what will happen going forward:
Pope Francis needed two months rest before returning to work, doctors said
Doctors told Pope Francis that he needed two months’ rest before he returned to work, after he spent more than five weeks in hospital for a bout of double pneumonia.
Despite the orders of doctors, the pope kept working right to the end.
The day before his death, Francis made his first prolonged public appearance since February, as he entered St. Peter’s Square in a white popemobile to greet cheering crowds.
Watch: Pope Francis’ apartment sealed with red ribbon and wax after his death
Who could be the next Pope? The cardinals who might succeed the head of the Catholic Church
The death of Pope Francis on Monday sets in motion a centuries-old ritual involving sacred oaths, performed by the cardinals who will elect his successor.
As is always the case, in the months and years prior to the death of a pope, a selection of candidates known as papabile emerge as the frontrunners to become the new leader of the Catholic Church.
Below, we look at the candidates most likely to be the next Pope:
Francis will be the first Pope buried outside the Vatican in 120 years. Here’s why
Pope Francis will be laid to rest in a location that reflects his humble approach to the grand office.
Breaking with tradition, the pontiff, whose death at the age of 88 was announced on Easter Monday, has chosen a burial site outside the Vatican – the first pope to do so in 120 years.
Francis’s final resting place will be the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, one of the four major basilicas of Christendom in Rome, situated on the Esquiline Hill.
Francis’s will stipulated a simple burial “in the earth, without particular decoration”, marked only with his papal name in Latin: Franciscus.
This understated approach aligns with his efforts to bring a more humble touch to the papacy, often eschewing the Vatican’s traditional pomp and opting for simpler rites.
St. Mary Major, around 4 km (2.5 miles) from the Vatican, was dear to Francis because of his devotion to Mary, Mother of God. He prayed there before setting off on and returning from each overseas trip.
Francis returned at key moments in his papacy, praying for an end to the coronavirus pandemic in a locked-down Rome in 2020 and after his abdominal surgeries in 2021 and 2023.
Wales face rescheduled Women’s Six Nations finale due to Pope Francis’s funeral
Wales’s final Women’s Six Nations fixture against Italy in Parma on Saturday is set to be rearranged because of Pope Francis’s funeral.
Friday and Sunday are being considered as alternative dates, according to reports, but Six Nations organisers have not yet made an announcement.
The game is currently due to kick off just over three hours after the Pope’s funeral begins.
With Italy having embarked on five days of national mourning, Sunday would appear to be the most likely option.
Wales have lost all four of their games in this season’s tournament and will be consigned to the wooden spoon if they are beaten by Italy.
The Six Nations and Welsh Rugby Union have been contacted for comment by the PA news agency.
Anonymous benefactor to pay for Pope Francis funeral
An anonymous benefactor will pay for the cost of Pope Francis’s funeral, the Vatican said on Tuesday.
“The expenses for the preparation of my burial will be covered by the sum of the benefactor that I have arranged,” Francis’s will said.
His funeral will take place in St Peter’s square on Saturday morning.
He will then be buried in St Mary Major, becoming the first pope in over 100 years to not be buried in Vatican grounds.
Landmarks around the world mark death of Pope
Iconic buildings around the world remembered Pope Francis following his death on Monday.
The Eiffel Tower in Paris went dark in remembrance, and the Vatican’s St Peter’s Square became a gathering place for mourners.
The Empire State Building in New York was illuminated in memory of Pope Francis on Monday night.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia flew its flags at half-mast, as did several state buildings around the world, including the White House in the US and the presidential office in Taiwan.
And in his hometown of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis’ portrait was projected on the Obelisk.
Trump and Prince William to be among funeral attendees
A large array of world leaders, cardinals and hundreds of thousands of worshippers are expected to attend Pope Francis’ funeral on Saturday.
Those confirmed to be attending already include the Prince of Wales, on behalf of his father, King Charles.
US president Donald Trump and the first lady Melania have also said they will be attending.
They will be joined by other royal families and world leaders including Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky.
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Source: independent.co.uk
