LIVE UPDATES: Pope Francis lies in state as Vatican broadcasts Friday coffin sealing

[ad_1] Swiss Guards accompany the pallbearers with the wood coffin of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Sq. on April 23, 2025, in the course of the translatio — the solemn switch of the pope’s physique for public viewing forward of Saturday’s funeral Mass. | Credit score: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA The switch of Pope Francis’ coffin to St. Peter’s Basilica started at 9 a.m. local time today , April 23, following a prayer ceremony within the chapel of Casa Santa Marta.

The doorways of St. Peter’s Basilica opened at 11 a.m. native time (5 a.m. ET) for the general public, permitting greater than 20,000 devoted gathered in St. Peter’s Sq. to pay their last respects to Pope Francis on Wednesday.

<img src="https://admin.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/whatsapp-image-2025-04-23-at-17.38.29-1.jpeg" class="img-fluid" style="null" alt="A view of St. Peter's Square filled with mourners gathered for prayers following the translatio of Pope Francis' body on April 23, 2025. The late pontiff, who died on Easter Monday at age 88, will lie in state until his funeral Mass on Saturday, April 26. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA"/> A view of St. Peter's Sq. full of mourners gathered for prayers following the translatio of Pope Francis' physique on April 23, 2025. The late pontiff, who died on Easter Monday at age 88, will lie in state till his funeral Mass on Saturday, April 26. Credit score: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA The late pontiff’s coffin rests earlier than the altar on a modest wood platform, positioned virtually at floor degree.

Pilgrims are pausing to hope for a couple of moments earlier than shifting on, in a solemn procession that can proceed till the pope’s burial at St. Mary Main Basilica following Saturday’s funeral Mass, which shall be celebrated by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

The physique of Pope Francis is now in St. Peter's Basilica. The solemn switch of the coffin from Casa Santa Marta happened in St. Peter's Sq.. pic.twitter.com/efIxBfl3Wf

— EWTN Vatican (@EWTNVatican) April 23, 2025 The Vatican “sediari” — the identical bearers who in previous centuries carried the transportable papal throne — transported the coffin on their shoulders to St. Peter’s Sq., accompanied by cardinals at present current in Rome.

From Casa Santa Marta to the Vatican Basilica, the procession was marked by seen emotion amongst onlookers. Some couldn't maintain again tears as they adopted in respectful silence the ultimate journey of the “pope of the peripheries.”

On Friday at 8 p.m. native time, Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, in his position as camerlengo of Holy Roman Church, will preside over the ceremony of closing of the coffin of the Roman Pontiff Francis.

Cardinals, bishops, and Vatican officers stroll alongside Pope Francis’ coffin in St. Peter’s Sq. on April 23, 2025, in the course of the solemn switch as Swiss Guards stand in formal formation. Credit score: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)}; if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script', 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); fbq('init', '284567475785076'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); [ad_2] Source link