Vatican to Seal Pope Francis’ Coffin in Final Rite Ahead of Funeral

Report By Safarti Tarjuman International Desk

The Vatican has confirmed that the coffin of His Holiness Pope Francis will be officially sealed during a solemn liturgical rite to be held at St. Peter’s Basilica on Friday, April 25 at 8:00 PM.

The rite will be conducted by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, in the presence of senior clergy and officials of the Holy See. The ceremony marks the conclusion of public mourning, as the Pope’s body has lain in state over the past days with more than 50,000 mourners paying their respects.

The liturgical rite of sealing the coffin is part of long-standing Vatican traditions and will precede the funeral service scheduled for Saturday morning, which will be held in St. Peter’s Square at 10:00 AM. The service will officially begin the Novemdiales, a nine-day period of mourning and Masses offered for the soul of the late Pontiff.

Attendees of Friday’s rite will include high-ranking Vatican officials such as Cardinals Giovanni Battista Re, Pietro Parolin, Roger Mahony, Dominique Mamberti, Mauro Gambetti, Baldassare Reina, and Konrad Krajewski. Additional clergy and lay figures involved include Archbishops Edgar Peña Parra and Ilson de Jesus Montanari, Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, the Canons of the Vatican Chapter, and Pope Francis’ close aides.

Public viewing of the late Pope’s remains began on Wednesday morning and continued through early Thursday, with St. Peter’s Basilica staying open for extended hours to accommodate the flow of pilgrims from around the world.

The funeral on April 26 will be attended by global dignitaries, religious leaders, and thousands of faithful from across continents. Following tradition, daily Novemdiales Masses will be celebrated each evening at 5:00 PM (GMT+2), except on Divine Mercy Sunday, when Mass will commence at 10:30 AM.

The Vatican has called on Catholics worldwide to join in reflection and prayer, remembering the spiritual leadership and global humanitarian impact of Pope Francis, who led the Church with a message of mercy, unity, and compassion.