Before the coffin is closed on Friday evening, the pontiff’s face will be covered by a white silk veil and doused with holy water. Francis somewhat simplified his funeral rites as he broke with the three-coffin tradition. Instead, he asked to be buried in a more modest wooden coffin. Nevertheless, his coffin will have a zinc lid for hygiene reasons, the Vatican explained to TASS. A cross, the papal coat of arms, and his name will be on the lid.
Francis expressed his wish to be buried at his favorite church, Rome’s papal basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where seven pontiffs were buried previously.
The funeral will be held on April 26. Heads of state and government, royals, and representatives of various churches will arrive to attend the ceremony.
Unprecedented security measures involving roughly 11,000 police officers and troops are in place in Rome. As the Italian capital hosts the 2025 Jubilee this year, an influx of visitors and pilgrims is expected, with many complaining of rising apartment rent prices. Airlines, too, have raised their tariffs. Thus, the price of a direct flight from Argentina, the home country of Francis, has increased three-fold, La Repubblica reported. The costs of flights from Latin America with stops at European airports, too, have risen.
AzVision.az
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