Cardinals hold 4th General Congregation, prepare for ‘funeral of shepherd’

Cardinals present in Rome hold their fourth General Congregation on Friday morning, as the papal liturgist explains that Pope Francis’ funeral Mass will be that of “a shepherd, not a sovereign.”

The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, briefed journalists on Friday about the fourth General Congregation of Cardinals, held in the Vatican’s New Synod Hall.

He said 149 Cardinals were present for the meeting of the body that governs the Church during the interregnum period following the death of the Pope.

The Congregation began with a moment of prayer at 9:10 AM Rome Time and lasted until 12:20 PM Rome Time, and there were 33 interventions from the Cardinals on the Church and the world.

The Cardinals heard the reading of the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis continued through paragraph 32.

At the end of the meeting, the Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, address the Cardinals to explain the funeral rite for Pope Francis, noting that it will be the funeral of a shepherd, not of a sovereign.

Archbishop Ravelli added that the late Pope’s body will not be exposed on a catafalque, or raised platform.

At the funeral Mass on Saturday at 10:00 AM, visiting dignitaries will be arranged according to protocol. The Presidents of Argentina (the Pope’s homeland) and then of Italy will be followed by members of royal households and the other presidents in French alphabetical order.

The complete list of delegations will be released later on Friday afternoon.

Mr. Bruni explained that the procession with the vehicle carrying the Pope’s body to St. Mary Major will leave from the Perugino Gate to the Vatican and that it will not pass through St. Peter’s Square.

The procession toward St. Mary Major will take about half an hour, he said, adding that the Pope’s coffin will be visible.

Mr. Bruni said the interment at the late Pope’s tomb in St. Mary Major will be a private act.

On Sunday afternoon, the Cardinals will go to the Marian Basilica at around 4:00 p.m Rome Time, where they will pass through the Holy Door, visit Pope Francis’s tomb, and then gather in the Pauline Chapel where the icon of Maria Salus Populi Romani is housed. They will then pray Vespers together.

In conclusion, Mr. Bruni said that around 150,000 people have paid their respects to the late Pope in St. Peter’s Basilica, as of noon on Friday.

The Vatican Basilica closes at 7:00 PM Rome Time on Friday, though entry to the queue will end at 6:00 PM Rome Time.

At 8:00 PM Rome Time, Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Farrell will preside at the Rite of Sealing of the Coffin.

By Vatican News