Pope Francis’ funeral will take place Saturday in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican officials announced Tuesday, following his sudden death on Monday at age 88 from a stroke and cardiac arrest.
The first Latin American pope, Francis led the Church for 12 years, often clashing with traditionalists while championing social justice and the poor. He had recently recovered from double pneumonia and appeared in public on Easter Sunday.
The Vatican released images of the late pope lying in a wooden coffin at the Santa Marta residence. His body will be moved to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning for public viewing.
The funeral will begin Saturday at 10 a.m. local time, drawing world leaders including former U.S. President Donald Trump, who confirmed his attendance despite past disagreements with Francis on issues like immigration.
via Reuters