SEDE VACANTE: DEATH AND FUNERAL OF HH POPE FRANCIS

 

At approximately 9:45'am, on Easter Monday, 21st April 2025, The Camerlengo of The Holy Roman Church, Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced the death of The Holy Father Francis, The Head of The Roman Catholic Church, at the Chapel of his residence, Casa Santa Marta. Pope Francis "returned to the house of the Father" at 7:35' of that morning, at the age of 88, after twelve years as 266th Bishop of Rome. The Vatican City entered into a period of Sede Vacante (Vacant See) and The College of Cardinals took over most of its administrative capacities for the time of transition. The Bells of The Papal Basilicas rang in somber, signifying the Pope's passing. Millions of Catholics from around the world mourned the loss of their religious leader, while global heads of state & government paid tribute to the life and Papacy of Francis (originally Jorge Mario Bergoglio), and attended his funeral mass on 26 April 2025.

According to the death certificate, released in the evening of Monday (April 21), Pope Francis died due to a stroke, which led to coma and an irreversible cardiac arrest. His personal healthcare assistant said that His Holiness began feeling unwell at around 5:30am, and lost consciousness within an hour, waving a sign of goodbye before. The medical team immediately summoned found His Holiness comatose - eyes open, breathing normally, but not responding to any stimulli. They concluded that they could no longer transfer him to the hospital. Eyewittnesses said he fade away quickly & peacefully, without signs of sufferring.

The Camerlengo (or Chamberlain), who is responsible for the official declaration of The Pope's death presided over his first funeral rites after his official statement (broadcasted live by the Vatican media). At 20:00' of April 21, the rite of ascertainment of death took place at The Chapel of Casa Sanctae Marthae. His Holiness' body was dressed in white cloth, his red liturgical vestments, ordinary black shoes, adorned by his bishop's mitre, pallium & a rosary around his hands; and was placed into a coffin made out of wood & zinc. A paschal candle was placed next to him, and the declaration of death (including the medical report) was read aloud by the Camerlengo, in presence of The Master of The Liturgical Celebrations, chancellor, secretary & members of The Apostolic Camera's clergy & members of the deceased's family. Pope Francis' private residence doors on the second floor of Casa Santa Martha were Sealed by The Cardinal Camerlengo, as well as the doors of the third floor of The Apostolic Palace, the official Papal Apartment. His Piscatory (Fisherman's) ring - signed regalia used as the Papal Seal - was set to be destroyed in front of The College of Cardinals, formally signitying the end of Francis's Reign.

From the following morning, Tuesday 22 April 2025, the first General Congregation of The College of Cardinals assembled in The Synod Hall of The Sistine Chapel, to take a solemn oath of preserving the norms governing during the interregnum period, reflect on Pope Francis' legacy & finalize his funeral arrangements. The Cardinal Camerlengo read His late Holiness' spiritual testament, in which he expressed to be buried at the Basilica of St. Maria Maggiore in Rome (instead of The Vatican City). Shortly before the end of his Papacy Francis simplified the Rites of the Burial of Roman Pontiffs, so that they emphasize on the funeral "of a pastor and disciple of Christ", rather than that "of a powerful man of this world". The Cardinals - arriving to Rome from every corner of the world - would be repeating their General Congregations daily, to arrange all the details of the Papal funeral (set for April 26, 2025) and the following Masses of Novemdiales (nine days of mourning for The Holy Father). In the meantime, His Holiness' body lay in repose at his residence chapel, with pictures of it shared worldwide. Cardinals led rosary prayers for the suffrage of The Pope's Soul outside Papal Basilicas.

Next was the rite of Translation of The Roman Pontiff's mortal remains from Domus Sanctae Marthae to St. Peter's Basilica, which took place at 9:00am on Wednesday, April 23. Cardinal Camerlengo presided over a moment of prayer, before the open coffin of The Vatican's Sovereign was carried in procession through Piazza Santa Martha, Piazza dei Protomartiti Romani, Acro delle Campane & St. Peter's Square, - the place Pope Francis encountered the people for the last time less than three days before - where 20,000 of mourners broke into silent applauses & captured the historic event on camera. Six servicemen from The Swiss Guard (the colorfully dressed Pope's personal bodyguards) walked around the coffin during the procession. Members of The College of Cardinal, Partiarchs, Bishops, Deacons & Priests, accompanied the funeral procession, singing the Litany of the Saints. Upon entering the Papal Basilica of St. Peter, the coffin with His Holiness' body was placed in front of the altar, facing the pews.

A three-day lying-in-state began at 11:00am & lasted until 19:00' of Friday, 25 April 2025. The visitors reached 19,000 by the evening of Wednesday (April 23), crowds starting from as far as the west bank of Tiber River (in Rome). By the end of the first day 90,000 attendees filed past, prompting to extend the opening hours for public viewing & transferring the closing time from 12:00 (midnight) to 5:30'am of Thursday, April 24. The Basilica reopened at 07:00 (April 24) after a brief cleaning, and stayed open for the remainder of public viewing. By Friday evening (25 April) more than 250,000 people paid their last respects to The late Pope Francis.

At 20:00' of Friday (April 25), The Holy Father's coffin was sealed. A white silk cloth was placed on his face by Archbishop Diego Ravelli (Master of The Ceremonies), and Holy water was poured over the body by Cardinal Kevin Farrell (the Camerlengo); coins of The Holy See minted during Francis' Reign were also placed inside his coffin, alongside a cylinder, containing the rogito - a one-page written account of his Papacy (a copy kept fot The Vatican Archives). Then the inner part of the coffin was sealed with a zinc top, containing Pope Francis' Papal name, dates, 'Coat of Arms' (from the time he was Bishop of Buenos Aires) and an engraved Cross. The wooden part was put on top, but not Sealed. Previous Popes lay in state on a raised platform & were buried in three coffins (from cypress, lead & oak).

As the day of The Papal Funeral approached, The Vatican & Italian officials dealed with intense logistics & security measures. 130 official delegations were to be represented at The Funeral. 61 heads of state (& 31 heads of government) had confirmed their attendance. Among them: nine monarchs - 5 Kings & 5 Queens from: Belgium, Denmark, Jordan, Lesotho, Spain & Sweden; Monarchs (& Consorts) from: Andorra, Luxembourg & Monaco - , four Heirs (Abu Dhabi - UAE, Britain, Liechtenstein & Norway), senior religious leaders & clergymen from all Christian denominations & those of other faiths; as well as representatives of all Classes of The Catholic Clergy & the Missionary Orders, derived by The Holy Roman Church. Most of the streets arpund St. Peter's Square in Vatican were closed, Rome was declared a no-fly zone for the entire duration of the funeral, and over 8,000 of Italian civil service members & security forces - including 2,500 police officers & 1,500 soldiers - were deployed. Around 250,000 people were estimated to have attended The Funeral Mass at St. Peter's Square, and 140,000 more lined up the streets of Rome to see the funeral proccession afterwards.

The Funeral Service for The Reposed Bishop of Rome took place at 10:00'am on Saturday, 26 April 2025. The Requiem mass was celebrated at St. Peter's Square, on the front steps of The Basilica, presided over by The Dean of The College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, 91. In his homily, delivered after the mass, Cardinal Re focused on Pope Francis' inclusiveness of all people into the Church, especially of the most vulnerable, excluded and marginalized. He stressed His Holiness' core pacifism & anti-war stance, as well as his insistence of applied solidarity to migrants & refugees, and their inclusion into the society by "building bridges, not walls". The Catholic Holy Communion rite followed not only for dignitaries, state & religious officials in attendance, but (in a truly Franciscan way) to as many of the quarter million people gathered at The Square as possible. Elements of the funeral service were also blessings from denominations of The Easter Orthodox Church, who began with Chanting The Triple Paschal (Easter) Troparion (Christ is Risen) before delivering their repose prayers. The Solemn Eucharistic celebration concluded around noon with the rites of "last recommendation" and "farewell" before the casket of The late Holy Father was carried inside The Basilica for one last time.

From the Southern Doors of St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis' coffin was placed on a specially adjusted popemobile, on which, in a slow procession to St. Mary Major, he left The Vatican City for the final time. He was the first Pope to be buried outside of his Realm since Leo XIII in 1903. The procession crossed the Tiber River, and passed some of The Eternal City's most distinguished sites, such as The Colosseum, The Forum & Altare della Patria & Piazza Venezia's national monument, before arriving at The Papal Basilica of St. Maria Maggiore, shortly before 1:00pm. 40 members of the poorest & most marginalized communities of the area stood by as the coffin of their own Pope enterred his final resting place. After a brief pause in front of The 'Salus Populi Romani' icon, where The Pontiff used to pray in every time of need, the coffin was carried to "the burial niche in the side aisle" between the Pauline Chapel & the Sforza Chapel of The Basilica. There The Holy Father was laid to rest in private, in a simple ground tomb, with a simple inscription on the tombstone, of his Papal name: FRANCISCUS.

Thus the final chapter of the earthly existence of The 266th Bishop of Rome came to a conclusion. As The Doors of The Papal Appartments in The Holy See remain shut, in absentia of a Sovereign during this extraordinary Sede Vacante of The Jubilee Year of Hope. And while The Roman Catholic Church - currently going through The Nine Days of Mourning ('Novemdiales') celebrating the life of its pastor through daily masses until Sunday, May 4 (2025) - is customary, practically & spiritually preparing for the upcoming Conclave (beginning 7th of May) to select the future occupant of its Petrine Ministry; and the Catholic Community, in extend, is eager to see the direction its religious institution will follow in the foreseable future. For what to come, none of us knows. But for what to follow, and perhaps what to find as a reward in the end - an answer might come from the late Pope Francis' conclusion of spiritual testament:

"May the Lord grant a fitting reward to all those who have loved me and who continue to pray for me. The suffering that has marked the final part of my life, I offer to the Lord, for peace in the world and for fraternity among peoples."

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