Pope Francis has died, Vatican says, 21 Apr 2025

[vls12345]

There are some nice photos here:

Pope Francis dead at 88: Memorable scenes from his time as head of the Catholic Church

Pope Francis became the head of the Catholic Church in March 2013. He was an outspoken advocate for reforms. He died Monday, April 21.

www.usatoday.com

 

[Dotta]

"Pope Francis wasn't just a priest. ​

He loved many down-to-earth things.​

He knew several languages, wore a white cassock and celebrated mass every day...

But Pope Francis also had his very human preferences. See what the Holy Father really loved -
some points may surprise you!

- Instead of espresso, Francis reached for yerba mate, an aromatic infusion of holly leaves.
His fondness for this drink accompanied him since his youth in Buenos Aires.

- Although he was never seen dancing as pope (which is a shame!),
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was a big fan of tango in his youth, believing it to be a dance that carried the emotion, dignity, and spirit of Buenos Aires.

- After being elected pope, Francis refused to use the luxurious limousine and papal residence.
He preferred… to drive an old Ford
and live in the Casa Santa Marta.
He often said that 'luxury separates from people'.

- Francis, although he did not officially have any pets in the Vatican,
has spoken often of how much he loved dogs.
As a child, he had a German shepherd, whom he considered his 'most faithful companion'.
In his homilies, he often mentioned animals as an example of unconditional love.

- When speaking about Francis,
one cannot ignore his exceptional distance to himself.
He loved to joke, often interrupting serious speeches with a cutting riposte.
His favorite saying?
'The devil is sad when we laugh'."

Papież Franciszek nie tylko był kapłanem. Uwielbiał wiele przyziemnych rzeczy

Znał kilka języków, nosił białą sutannę i codziennie odprawiał mszę świętą... Ale Papież Franciszek miał też swoje bardzo ludzkie upodobania. Zobacz, co naprawdę kochał Ojciec Święty – niektóre punkty mogą Cię...

jastrzabpost.pl

 

[Charlot123]

There’s a term that is known as Terminal Lucidity, aka the dead cat bounce. It’s where someone at the end stage of their life appears to experience a brief period of “recovery”. But it’s usually only for a short amount of time.

Seeing as the pope was hospitalized for quite a while and almost didn’t make it before his was surprisingly discharged, maybe Terminal Lucidity was the case here?

Yes, it exists. Usually for a brief time, and then things happen quickly.

I think, though, that the Pope was conserving all his energy to appear on the balcony and then drive in a limo. He felt it was his last time, and he wanted to deliver the Easter message. But he also knew how much he was loved, so the drive was important. People hoped they’d see him. He had to give it to them, the last ride, the last glimpse of him. He always tried, did he not?

He knew it would be the last time, and he wanted it, and JMO, that the ride took the last bit of energy he had.

What a good way to die, so early on Easter Monday, having said goodbye to your followers, your people, in the Vatican and all over the world.

The Pope has finished his mission on this Earth. RIP.

 

[Dotta]

"Moving scenes in Vatican. ​

People say goodbye to the Pope.​

• On Wednesday, after 11 a.m., the first faithful entered St. Peter's Basilica to pay homage to Pope Francis at his coffin.
• The coffin was carried in a procession from the chapel of the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta, where the pope died on Monday .
• St. Peter’s Basilica will be open on Wednesday until midnight, on Thursday from 7 a.m. to midnight, and on Friday, the day before the funeral, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Earlier,
the deceased Pope was bid farewell by cardinals and bishops who participated in a procession from the Casa Santa Marta.

The rite of transferring the simple coffin, draped in red cloth,
from the chapel in the Vatican house to the Basilica
was performed to the sound of a bell.

After 11 a.m.,
the first faithful entered St. Peter's Basilica to pay homage to Francis.

Traditionally,
the coffin was placed in the central part of the Basilica,
near the main altar.
The honor guard was provided by the Swiss Guard.

Romans and pilgrims from all over the world
had been waiting in a long line in St. Peter's Square for several hours.

After the Basilica's gates opened,
the stream of faithful slowly began to move towards the body of the Pope."


From both links:

Poruszające sceny w Watykanie. Ludzie żegnają papieża

W środę po godz. 11 wierni zaczęli wchodzić do bazyliki Świętego Piotra, by oddać hołd zmarłemu papieżowi Franciszkowi. Trumna z ciałem została wcześniej przeniesiona z kaplicy w Domu Świętej Marty.

wiadomosci.wp.pl

Przeniesiono trumnę z ciałem papieża. Co się teraz dzieje w Watykanie?

Trumna z ciałem papieża Franciszka została w środę rano przeniesiona z kaplicy Domu Świętej Marty, w którym papież mieszkał i zmarł, do Bazyliki św. Piotra.

wiadomosci.wp.pl

From my country's MSM

The Last Journey of Pope Francis

 

[Dotta]

"Inverted crosses behind Francis' coffin.​

What do they mean?​

On Wednesday,
the coffin with Francis' body was moved from the Casa Santa Marta to St. Peter's Basilica,
where the faithful can say goodbye to the Pope.

Questions have been raised online
about why the crosses behind the coffin are upside down.

This is the cross of Saint Peter
(also known as the inverted cross).

It is a symbol in the shape of the traditional Latin cross, but upside down —
with a crossbar at the bottom.
Its origins and meaning come from Christian tradition.

Christian meaning:​

According to tradition,
Saint Peter, one of Jesus' apostles,
was crucified in Rome during the persecution of Christians.

He considered himself unworthy to die in the same way as Jesus,
so he asked to be crucified upside down.

Hence,
the inverted cross became a symbol of the humility and martyrdom of Saint Peter,
as well as papal humility,
because the Pope is considered the successor of Saint Peter.

In Catholic Church
it may still be used as a symbol of Saint Peter –
for example, in Vatican it can be seen in papal decorations."

Odwrócone krzyże za trumną Franciszka. Co oznaczają?

W środę trumnę z ciałem Franciszka przeniesiono z Domu św. Marty do Bazyliki św. Piotra, gdzie wierni mogą pożegnać się z papieżem. W sieci pojawiły się pytania dlaczego krzyże za trumną są odwrócone.

wiadomosci.wp.pl

 

[Charlot123]

"Inverted crosses behind Francis' coffin.​

What do they mean?​

View attachment 581492

On Wednesday,
the coffin with Francis' body was moved from the Casa Santa Marta to St. Peter's Basilica,
where the faithful can say goodbye to the Pope.

Questions have been raised online
about why the crosses behind the coffin are upside down.

This is the cross of Saint Peter
(also known as the inverted cross).

It is a symbol in the shape of the traditional Latin cross, but upside down —
with a crossbar at the bottom.
Its origins and meaning come from Christian tradition.

Christian meaning:​

According to tradition,
Saint Peter, one of Jesus' apostles,
was crucified in Rome during the persecution of Christians.

He considered himself unworthy to die in the same way as Jesus,
so he asked to be crucified upside down.

Hence,
the inverted cross became a symbol of the humility and martyrdom of Saint Peter,
as well as papal humility,
because the Pope is considered the successor of Saint Peter.

In Catholic Church
it may still be used as a symbol of Saint Peter –
for example, in Vatican it can be seen in papal decorations."

Odwrócone krzyże za trumną Franciszka. Co oznaczają?

W środę trumnę z ciałem Franciszka przeniesiono z Domu św. Marty do Bazyliki św. Piotra, gdzie wierni mogą pożegnać się z papieżem. W sieci pojawiły się pytania dlaczego krzyże za trumną są odwrócone.

wiadomosci.wp.pl

I think it has always been the symbol of Saint Peter. Other groups appropriated it nowadays because of own ignorance.

The Vatican should beautify Pope Francis, IMHO, but i know it takes time.

Pope Francis brought sincerity into this bureaucratized, heavily ritualized, world.

 

[iamshadow21]

Santa Maria Maggiore: why Pope Francis decided ‘this is my place’ to be buried

The pontiff shunned fanfare by picking a small niche in the basilica he visited more than 100 times during his papacy

www.theguardian.com

'We thought it would happen a month ago': Inside Pope Francis's final days

As he glided around St Peter's Square in his Popemobile on Sunday, the fact he was 88 and had just spent several weeks in hospital somehow seemed a distant memory. Then everything changed.

amp.abc.net.au

Nun who broke Vatican protocol to farewell friend Francis

While 90,000 people lined up and quietly paid their respects to the beloved Pontiff, one 81-year-old French nun stunned the world by approaching the coffin of her close friend.

thenightly.com.au

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1915868964455919837

 

[Seattle1]

Santa Maria Maggiore: why Pope Francis decided ‘this is my place’ to be buried

The pontiff shunned fanfare by picking a small niche in the basilica he visited more than 100 times during his papacy

www.theguardian.com

'We thought it would happen a month ago': Inside Pope Francis's final days

As he glided around St Peter's Square in his Popemobile on Sunday, the fact he was 88 and had just spent several weeks in hospital somehow seemed a distant memory. Then everything changed.

amp.abc.net.au

Nun who broke Vatican protocol to farewell friend Francis

While 90,000 people lined up and quietly paid their respects to the beloved Pontiff, one 81-year-old French nun stunned the world by approaching the coffin of her close friend.

thenightly.com.au

Thanks for the link about Sister Genevieve Jeanningros-- I'd long wondered if she was still alive! So happy to see her up and able to pay her last respects to her good friend.

 

[Seattle1]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1915782812331892768

 

[airportwoman]

I read that national leaders will be seated for the funeral in the French alphabetical order of their nation's name. I had wondered about that (why not Italian, or Latin?) but found out that this was done when they did John Paul II's funeral, because French is the international language of diplomacy.

The Bidens plan to attend, but they will be seated elsewhere because he's no longer POTUS.

 

[detective.moon]

I read that national leaders will be seated for the funeral in the French alphabetical order of their nation's name. I had wondered about that (why not Italian, or Latin?) but found out that this was done when they did John Paul II's funeral, because French is the international language of diplomacy.

The Bidens plan to attend, but they will be seated elsewhere because he's no longer POTUS.

yes, it has been done like this since the time that french was considered the language of diplomacy! it’s probably a good thing that this way trump and zelenskyy won’t have to sit close to each other (in french it’s les états-unis)

 

[rocioatl]

I will be attending the vigil in Buenos Aires today. It's so nice to see so many people speaking positively of Pope Francis. He is a tremendous loss for the world, it's so hard not to be emotional when thinking about how much of a difference he made in Catholic church.

 

[Dotta]

"Not Just Crowned Heads: ​

Migrants, Transgender People, the Poor and Prisoners ​

to Say Goodbye to the Pope.​

Since dawn,
believers and tourists have been gathering around St. Peter's Square in Vatican ahead of Francis' funeral.

Although full details of the ceremony are not known,
the Pope wanted it to be simple.

More than 70 presidents and prime ministers will take part in the ceremony,
12 crowned heads,
and in the final stage of the ceremony,
migrants, transgender people, the poor and prisoners
will take part in the farewell.

The faithful and tourists, waiting for the funeral of Pope Francis,
are gathering in the area around St. Peter's Square.

Due to special security measures,
they will be carefully checked,
so they must appear in the appropriate sectors in advance.

According to the announcements,
164 delegations will take part in the ceremony.

On Saturday at 8:00 PM,
the coffin with Francis was closed and the coffin sealed.

The Pope's face was covered with a white cloth,
and the coffin was filled with coins minted during his pontificate.

A document called the rogito, or
'Act of Passage to the House of His Holiness Father',
was also placed there,
which briefly presents the Pope's biography and his achievements."

More in the link

Nie tylko koronowane głowy. Migranci, osoby transpłciowe, ubodzy i więźniowie pożegnają papieża

Od świtu wierni i turyści gromadzą się w okolicach placu św. Piotra w Watykanie przed rozpoczęciem pogrzebu Franciszka. Choć wszystkie szczegóły ceremonii nie są znane, papież chciał by była ona prosta. W...

wiadomosci.wp.pl

 

[sds71]

The Booklet of Celebration (Order of Service) for Pope Francis's Funeral

https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/libretti/2025/20250426-libretto-esequie-sepoltura.pdf

 

[Dotta]

"Hundreds of thousands bid final farewell​

to Pope Francis.​

The pure scale of Pope Francis's funeral is hard to comprehend.

Hundreds of thousands of people have turned up to say farewell,
easily overflowing St Peter's Square
and the streets surrounding it.

Giant screens have been put up around Rome to help the faithful follow the funeral.

And in St Peter's Square itself,
among the 40,000 mourners
are thousands of religious figures including cardinals, bishops and priests."

Pope Francis funeral live: Pope is buried in simple underground tomb

MAILONLINE BLOG: Recap our coverage from Pope Francis's funeral as world leaders gather in Rome. Francis died on Easter Monday after 13 years in the Vatican.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[sds71]

 

[Dotta]

"Tearful nuns mourning Pope Francis remember 'saintly man who wanted peace for the whole world' ​

as world stops to pay tribute to 266th pontiff.​

Sister Nilma Navarro from the Philippines said that Francis was
'the most humble person I have ever met,'
adding that he shepherded people
'not only in the Catholic Church.
He also embraced other religions'.

A parish group from Calabria, in Italy's south,
camped out all night to get a prime spot.

They had been planning a trip to Rome for the planned canonisation of the first millennial saint Carlo Acutis,
which has been postponed following Francis' death.

Instead,
they drove up a day early and slept in the streets.

'The Lord wanted it this way,
so we came all the same',
said Sandra De Felice of Anoia in the Calabria region.

'For me,
this is a sign that we need to be truly humble and charitable.

Otherwise, we are nothing'."

Tearful nuns remember 'saintly' Pope Francis as world pays tribute

From first light, thousands of people made their way along Via della Conciliazione - the grand thoroughfare that leads to the Vatican - singing hymns, praying and swapping stories.

www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org

 

[Dotta]

"White roses and humble inscriptions: ​

How the Pope is to be buried.​

Mourners of Pope Francis have been seen holding white roses
outside the Santa Maria Maggiore church.

The white roses are said to represent the purity of the Virgin Mary.

Baskets of the flowers
were also brought in to the area where the Pope will be buried by local children.

The Pope
is set to be buried alongside a beloved portrait of Mary and baby Jesus,
which was given to his predecessor in 593 AD.

His coffin bears an inscription which translates as:

'Lowly but Chosen'."

Rest in Peace

Pope Francis funeral live: Pope is buried in simple underground tomb

MAILONLINE BLOG: Recap our coverage from Pope Francis's funeral as world leaders gather in Rome. Francis died on Easter Monday after 13 years in the Vatican.

www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org

 

[Rikissa]

It seems that the US president thinks that dess code is something that only applies to others when they meet him, and not to him when paying respect at a funeral of the pope. Even Zelensky wore black out of respect. Or might it be that others visiting him no longer have to follow 'DT:s opinion' on how to dress when meeting him?

Donald Trump's 'major blunder' as he pays respect at funeral of Pope Francis

President Donald Trump has been accused of being "disrespectful" while attending the funeral of Pope Francis. Mourners spotted what they think is a quite a big mistake

www.irishstar.com