Vatican City
CNN
—
Pope Francis’ coffin has arrived at St Peter’s Basilica, where he will lie in state to allow the Catholic faithful to pay their respects before his funeral that is expected to be attended by world leaders including US President Donald Trump.
Bells tolled slowly as the coffin entered the basilica at 9.30 a.m. local time (3.30 a.m. ET) Wednesday, while mourners in the piazza outside broke into applause.
The Litany of the Saints, a formal prayer of the Roman Catholic Church, is now underway at the basilica.
Wednesday’s procession began with Pope Francis’ body being moved from the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta residence, where he lived during his papacy.
The procession traveled through Piazza Santa Marta and the Piazza dei Protomartiri Romani, passing through the Arch of the Bells and into St. Peter’s Square, before entering St. Peter’s Basilica through the central door.
Prior to the procession, Camerlengo Kevin Farrell, the cardinal tasked with arranging the papal funeral and conclave, held a brief service in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta with a short antiphon of hope.
“Let us thank the Lord for countless gifts that he bestowed on the Christian people through His servant Pope Francis,” the Camerlengo said in prayer. “Let us ask him in his mercy and kindness to grant the late Pope an eternal home in the kingdom of heaven and to comfort with celestial hope, the papal family, the church in Rome and the faithful throughout the world.”
Now at St Peter’s Basilica, the Camerlengo will preside over a service, known at the Liturgy of the Word, that will allow attendees to pay their respects to the late Pope.
The faithful will recite several religious verses, including psalm 22, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd,’ during the service.
Attendees will also recite the Catholic customary prayers of the dead during the liturgy.
The service is expected to finish with the Marian Antiphon, a prayer to Jesus’s mother Mary.
At the conclusion of the service, the public will be able to pay their respects to the pope, whose body will lie in state at St Peter’s Basilica for three days.
For those who wish to visit the pope and pay their respects, the basilica will be open on Wednesday until midnight, on Thursday from 7 a.m. to midnight local time, and Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
