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Topics: Catholic Church, Pope Benedict, Pope Francis, Religion, World News
Ellie Kemp
Topics: Catholic Church, Pope Benedict, Pope Francis, Religion, World News
As Pope Francis' funeral takes place this weekend, the Catholic Church will enter a nine-day mourning period.
The 88-year-old, who headed up the Catholic Church for 12 years, died on Easter Monday (April 21) after suffering a stroke.
He became Pope on March 13 2013, 13 days after Pope Benedict stepped back due to old age.
His passing means a new Pope will soon be elected, though this could take quite some time yet.
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Pope Francis' celebration of life gets underway at St Peter's Square in Rome, Italy on Saturday (April 26).
The two-and-a-half hour service will include prayers and Bible readings, as well as the final commendation and valediction.
This is a 'concluding prayer' where the Pope will be formally entrusted to God.
He will then be buried in the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major.
Following the Pope's funeral, the 'novendiali' takes place next - nine days of official mourning.
The funeral marks the first day of this period, with the final day on Sunday May 4.
The Church is currently in 'sede vacante', or 'the vacant See,' which came into place at the moment of the Pope’s death.
On Saturday, Pope Francis' body will be buried at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, as per his wishes, instead of the Vatican grottoes.
On Sunday, the second Novendiales Mass, the Pope's funeral being the first, will take place in St Peter’s Square for the Jubilee of Teenagers, lead by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, reports the Catholic News Agency.
For the remaining days of mourning, a different Cardinal presides over a Mass each day in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Each Mass is dedicated to a specific group, including Vatican staff, Roman clergy, and Eastern Catholic Churches.
On the third day, for example, 'clergy from the Diocese of Rome concelebrate the Mass, and on the seventh day, members of the Eastern Catholic Churches are invited,' the Catholic News Agency adds.From April 23 onwards, general congregation will begin. This is when Cardinals organize the Church's next steps.
While early sessions would have focused on funeral and conclave planning, these next sessions will deal only with church affairs, not potential Popes just yet.
The mourning period will officially conclude on May 4.
As this ends, the conclave - where members gather in the Sistine Chapel to vote on the new Pope - begins.
Around 135 Cardinals under 80 will vote for a new pope, which could go on for days.
The world will then watch on for the signalling of a new pontiff: white smoke.