The world is coming together in mourning as the funeral of Pope Francis is set to take place today. At the age of 88, the beloved pontiff succumbed to a stroke that left him in a coma, following a recent recovery from a severe bout of double pneumonia. His last public appearance was just a day prior, where he blessed thousands gathered in St Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday, sparking wild cheers and applause.
The funeral will commence at 10:00 local time, beginning with a solemn procession where Archbishops and bishops will assemble in the Constantine Wing adjacent to St Peter’s Basilica. Concurrently, Catholic priests will gather in St Peter’s Square, embodying a universal sense of loss within the Catholic community. By 09:00, Orthodox patriarchs and cardinals will have gathered at Saint Sebastian Chapel, paying their respects beside the remains of the late Pope John Paul II, a poignant reminder of the continuity of faith and leadership in the Catholic Church.
This group will then participate in a funeral procession that will lead them to the centre of St Peter’s Basilica, where Pope Francis’ coffin has laid in state for four days, allowing devotees from around the globe to pay their final respects. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, will lead the funeral service, marking an occasion steeped in both solemnity and reverence.
As tributes pour in from around the world, South African Archbishop Stephen Brislin has expressed that Pope Francis “touched people in a very special way.
Revealing a deep emotional connection, Archbishop Brislin further commented, “Throughout the world, but particularly in Africa, we feel that we were very close to Pope Francis and we feel that he loved us as well.”
Across the southern African border, Zimbabweans have also united in honouring the life of Pope Francis. President Emmerson Mnangagwa lent his voice to the tributes, calling the late pontiff a “devoted servant of God” and emphasising his role as a beacon of moral leadership.
This collective mourning demonstrates the profound impact Pope Francis had not only within the Vatican but across the entire African continent. As the day unfolds, the Vatican prepares to bid farewell to a leader whose life was dedicated to compassion, humility, and service to humanity. The memory of Pope Francis is expected to resonate far and wide, a testament to a life committed to uplifting the voiceless and advocating for peace.