The Vatican formally concluded the lying-in-state of Pope Francis on Friday evening, sealing his coffin during a private religious ceremony inside St. Peter’s Basilica. This marked the end of three days of public mourning, which saw around 250,000 visitors pay their respects.
Pope Francis, the first pontiff from Latin America and the first from the Jesuit order, had requested simpler funeral rites. In accordance with his wishes, his body was placed in a single wooden coffin, foregoing the traditional triple-layered coffins of cypress, lead, and oak that have been used in previous papal funerals.
The ceremony was led by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, who oversees funeral arrangements following the death of a pope. Cardinal Farrell, originally from Dublin and now a naturalised American citizen, previously served as the Bishop of Dallas.
He was assisted by other church officials, including a Venezuelan archbishop, a Brazilian prelate, and the late pope’s personal secretaries. Cardinal Roger Mahony, retired Archbishop of Los Angeles, also participated despite facing criticism for his handling of clerical abuse cases.
Some of Pope Francis’ family members were present during the private ceremony, which included short hymns, spoken prayers, and a moment of silent reflection. Cardinal Farrell placed a white silk veil over the pope’s face and sprinkled the body with holy water, adhering to Vatican protocol.
Items such as the pope's pallium, coins minted during his pontificate, and a deed summarising the key events of his papacy were placed inside the coffin before it was sealed. The rite concluded with a hymn dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Following the sealing of the coffin, the Vatican announced that a prayer vigil would be maintained through the night by the Chapter of St. Peter’s Basilica in preparation for the funeral Mass scheduled for Saturday morning.
The funeral Mass, which will take place at 10 am local time (4 am ET) on the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica, will also mark the beginning of the Novendiales—nine days of mourning during which funeral Masses will be held daily at the basilica.
Friday also saw heavy crowds around the Vatican, as Italy observed Liberation Day, a national holiday. The public holiday provided additional time for visits, and thousands of people continued to file through the basilica before it closed at 7 p.m. local time.
Many visitors travelled from abroad, including Joana Veiga from Porto, Portugal, who described the atmosphere as “very peaceful – calm” after viewing the pope’s coffin.
Pope Francis’ final burial site will be at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
His tomb, crafted from Ligurian marble, will remain simple in design, featuring only an image of the cross he wore as Archbishop of Buenos Aires, along with his papal name inscribed in Latin as “Franciscus”.
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