What occurs after a pope dies?
Today, docs declare a pope lifeless, similar to with another particular person. However by custom, a senior Vatican official known as the camerlengo ceremonially confirms his passing.
The camerlengo sometimes does this by visiting the pope’s physique in his personal chapel, and calling out his title to evoke him. When the pontiff – one other title for the pope – doesn’t reply, a hoop he wears that acts because the seal for official papal paperwork is defaced or destroyed. This marks the top of his time period of papacy.
The camerlengo then seals off the pope’s house, and informs the School of Cardinals – the physique of senior church officers – that he has died.
Then, the Vatican points a press release to the world’s media.
What follows is a nine-day mourning interval known as the novendiale, a customized with its origins in historic Rome.
The pope’s physique is blessed, wearing papal garments, and put in Saint Peter’s Basilica within the Vatican for public viewing.
Historically it might be displayed on a raised platform, however Pope Francis – born Jorge Mario Bergoglio – has requested to lie in an open coffin.
Day by day prayer companies and much might be held on the basilica and all through the Catholic world.
The funeral takes place, more than likely in St Peter’s Sq. in entrance of the basilica, between 4 and 6 days after the pope’s loss of life.
In line with experiences from the Related Press and Reuters, his physique might be buried within the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica in Rome. It’s one among Francis’ favorite church buildings, and it’ll make him the primary pope in a century to be buried exterior the Vatican.
Near 100 of his predecessors are buried within the Vatican Grottoes, crypts beneath St Peter’s Basilica.
Earlier popes had been laid in three-layered coffins fabricated from cypress, lead and oak. Pope Francis’ might be a single-layered one fabricated from wooden and zinc.
Popes are additionally buried wearing blood-red vestments or robes, a reminder of shedding one’s blood, or laying down one’s life, for the religion and the trustworthy.
