The Vatican has released the first photos of Pope Francis inside his coffin, as part of the ritual to confirm his death, as required by protocol.
According to Vatican News, "during the ceremony in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, the death declaration was officially read. The act was ratified by Cardinal Farrell and the process lasted a little less than an hour."
The pontiff's body is then expected to be transported to St. Peter's Basilica, where the faithful will have the opportunity to pay their respects. The cardinals are meeting for the first time today, with the aim of setting the dates for both the transfer of the body and the funeral.
According to the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, which defines the procedures following the death of a Pope, the funeral service must be celebrated "between the fourth and sixth days from his death."
This means that Pope Francis' funeral could take place between Friday, April 25 and Sunday, April 27.
According to Italian media, and in particular the national news agency ANSA citing sources from the Vatican, the most likely date for the ceremony appears to be Saturday, April 26.
"Death doesn't end everything, something new begins"
At the same time, a short excerpt from the Pontiff's text was made public today, which serves as an introduction to a book by Italian Cardinal Angelo Scola, which will be released soon.
"With death, not everything ends, something new begins. It is a new beginning, because with eternal life - which anyone who loves already knows in our earthly, daily existence - something begins that does not end," Francis had written.
"Precisely for this reason, it constitutes a new beginning. Because we will experience something we have never known in its full form: eternal life" is the legacy he leaves behind, with this short text.
Source: protothema.gr
