Preparations has begun for the sealing ceremony of Pope Francis’s coffin, ahead of his state funeral scheduled for Saturday. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Camerlengo of the Roman Church, will oversee this religious ceremony, which will also include various cardinals and officials from the Holy See, taking place at St. Peter’s Basilica today. The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, is set to attend the funeral. St. Peter’s Basilica opened to the public on Wednesday, allowing over 50,000 visitors to pay their last respects to the late Pope within 24 hours. The Basilica remained open until early Thursday, reopening shortly thereafter.
The coffin sealing ceremony will see the attendance of Cardinals Giovanni Battista Re, Pietro Parolin, Roger Mahony, and others. Moreover, Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Archbishop Elson De Jesus Montanari, and members of the Vatican chapter will assist in the proceedings. President Droupadi Murmu is in Vatican City on April 25 and 26 to represent India at the funeral, expressing condolences on behalf of the Indian government and its people. On April 25, she will pay tribute to the Pope at the Basilica and will participate in the funeral on April 26 at St. Peter’s Square.
The Vatican has announced that at least 130 foreign delegations, including 50 heads of state and 10 monarchs, will attend the funeral, among them U.S. President Donald Trump, Britain’s Prince William, and others. India’s Prime Minister Modi conveyed his sorrow over the Pope’s passing, stating that Pope Francis’s compassion for the Indian people would be remembered. Prime Minister Modi extended heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community, emphasizing the late Pope’s lifelong dedication to serving the poor and marginalized.
In India, state mourning will occur on Saturday in honor of the funeral. The national flag will be at half-mast, and no official entertainment will be conducted. Pope Francis made history as the first Latin American pope when he took office on March 13, 2013, following Pope Benedict XVI.
