St. Peter's Square, two hours before Pope Francis' funeral. Credit: McKenna Snow.
VATICAN CITY // “Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei.” A choir sang the entrance antiphon to the April 26 funeral Mass for Pope Francis as his wooden coffin was carried into St. Peter’s Square and brought in front of the main altar.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him, the English translation of the choir’s Latin prayer reads.
The day of the funeral Mass marked the first of nine traditional days of mourning the death of a pope, called Novemdiales.
The main celebrant for the Mass was the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, and those who had permission to concelebrate included cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops.
“Spiritually united with all of Christianity, we are here in large numbers to pray for Pope Francis, that God may welcome him into the immensity of his love,” Cardinal Re said in the Mass’ homily to the over two hundred thousand people present.
The weather for the outdoor Mass was pleasant for the multitude packed side by side inside the Square and beyond it. Some in attendance even sat on the top of the right hand colonnades, designed by 15th century artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini at the commissioning of then-Pope Alexander VII, outlining the Square.
Further inside the Square closer to the basilica entrance, a number of world leaders sat in attendance, including United States President Donald J. Trump, former US President Joe Biden, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Argentinian President Javier Milei, and King Felipe VI of Spain, among many others.
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Liturgical readings about St. Peter, the first pope
The guests and faithful followed along through the Introductory Rites, the Penitential Act, Kyrie, and Collect before hearing the first reading, from chapter 10 of the Acts of the Apostles, about St. Peter preaching the good news. The Responsorial Psalm prayed with Psalm 22: “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”
The second reading was from chapter 3 of St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, in which he wrote, “our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”
The gospel for the Mass recounted when Jesus, after His resurrection, asked Peter three times if he loved Him – to which Peter responded in part, “You know that I love You.”
The Evangelist writes that the third time after Peter replied, Jesus said, “‘Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go’… And after saying this He said to him, ‘Follow me.’”
Cardinal Re’s homily
In the homily, Cardinal Re said this command from Our Lord to the first pope to “feed My sheep” is “the constant task of Peter and his successors, a service of love in the footsteps of Christ, our Master and Lord, who ‘came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many’ (Mk 10:45).”
This year on Easter Sunday, which was the day before Pope Francis died, he had appeared in public to give a blessing to those in St. Peter’s Square, and then went through the Square himself.
“Despite his frailty and suffering towards the end, Pope Francis chose to follow this path of self-giving until the last day of his earthly life,” Cardinal Re said. “He followed in the footsteps of his Lord, the Good Shepherd, who loved his sheep to the point of giving his life for them.”
Cardinal Re also reflected in the homily on Pope Francis’ apostolic journeys and the overarching focuses of his pontificate, such as speaking about God’s mercy, about refugees and the poor, and about evangelization.
“Pope Francis used to conclude his speeches and meetings by saying, ‘Do not forget to pray for me.’ Dear Pope Francis, we now ask you to pray for us,” Cardinal Re concluded. “May you bless the Church, bless Rome, and bless the whole world from heaven as you did last Sunday from the balcony of this Basilica in a final embrace with all the people of God, but also embrace humanity that seeks the truth with a sincere heart and holds high the torch of hope.”
Intercessory prayers, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and the end of the funeral
The Prayer of the Faithful after the homily included intercessory prayers spoken in French, Arabic, Portuguese, Polish, German, and Chinese.
After the Our Father prayer, thousands exchanged the Sign of Peace, including President Trump, who exchanged a sign of peace to President Emmanuel Macron of France.
The communion antiphon closely resembled the opening antiphon: “Let perpetual light shine upon him, with your Saints for ever, for you are merciful.” The choir sang Psalm 129, which begins, “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice! O let your ears be attentive to the sound of my pleadings. If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But with you is found forgiveness, that you may be revered…”
After Holy Communion, the faithful prayed the Prayer of the Church in Rome, a litany asking many saints: “pray for us.” The Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Archbishop Youssef Absi, then led a prayer from the Funeral Office of the Byzantine Liturgy, the Prayer of the Eastern Churches, which began: “God of our salvation, grant rest to the soul of your servant. Lover of mankind, lead him, with the souls of the just, to the blessings of eternal life in your presence…”
Cardinal Re then incensed the body of Pope Francis, while the choir sang the responsory prayer that begins, “I know that my Redeemer lives: on the last day I shall rise again. And in my flesh I shall see God my saviour…”
The funeral, which began at 10am Rome time, came to an end at about noon, with Cardinal Re leading closing prayers. Many cardinals, wearing their coral red vestments, followed in exit procession back into St. Peter’s Basilica.
Fourteen pallbearers carried Pope Francis’ casket back inside, while the faithful prayed the Canticle of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from Luke Chapter 1, verses 46-55: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour….”
After the Canticle concluded, the bell of St. Peter’s Basilica rang repeatedly, heard by those inside the basilica and outside of it, even beyond the Square. The late Pope Francis was about to be brought to his place of burial some three miles away from the Vatican, at St. Mary Major Basilica.
