Breaking Pope Francis revealed why ‘death is not the end’ just two months before he passed away: Vatican releases pontiff’s thoughts on the afterlife as he lies in state EnglishHeadline

Pope Francis didn’t concern loss of life, however as a substitute welcomed the ‘new starting’ of everlasting life with God, he revealed in an essay written simply two months in the past.

Francis, who died yesterday aged 88, had mirrored on loss of life on February 7 this 12 months as he penned a preface for Cardinal Angelo Scola’s new e book, titled ‘Awaiting a New Starting. Reflections on Outdated Age’.

‘Loss of life just isn’t the tip of every part, however the starting of one thing,’ the pontiff wrote within the preface, which launched by the Vatican immediately.  

The Holy Father wrote that ‘we should not be afraid of previous age’ and ‘should not concern embracing turning into previous’, however as a substitute attempt to reside life on earth with ‘grace and never with resentment’.

‘It’s a new starting,’ Francis stated of loss of life. ‘As a result of everlasting life, which those that love already start to expertise on earth inside the day by day duties of life – is starting one thing that may by no means finish.

‘And it’s exactly because of this that it’s a “new” starting, as a result of we’ll reside one thing we have now by no means absolutely lived earlier than: eternity.’

Francis died yesterday morning after struggling a cerebral stroke that led to a coma and irreversible coronary heart failure. He had been recovering in his house after being hospitalised for 5 weeks with pneumonia. 

He made his final public look on Sunday, delivering an Easter blessing and making what could be his closing greeting to followers from his popemobile, looping round St. Peter’s Sq..

The Vatican launched the primary photographs of the late pontiff this morning displaying him being specified by his open coffin for the Affirmation of the Loss of life of the Pontiff ceremony final evening.

Round 60 cardinals participated within the first assembly of the Congregation of Cardinals immediately, which determined that Francis’ funeral will likely be held on Saturday morning. His physique will likely be on public show from tomorrow for mourners to pay their respects.

Francis will likely be laid to relaxation Saturday after mendacity in state for 3 days in St. Peter’s Basilica, the place the devoted are anticipated to flock to pay their respects to historical past’s first Latin American pontiff.

The Congregation of Cardinals met in the Vatican’s synod corridor for the primary time immediately to chart the subsequent steps earlier than a conclave begins to decide on Francis’ successor.

The cardinals set his funeral for Saturday at 10am native time (9am BST) in St. Peter’s Sq., exterior St Peter’s Basilica, which might match about 300,000 individuals. 

The funeral mass will likely be celebrated by the dean of the School of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. 

The odd devoted may have a possibility to pay their respects starting tomorrow morning when Francis’ casket is moved into St. Peter’s Basilica.

Vatican officers had been allowed to begin saying their goodbyes yesterday night after the Affirmation of the Loss of life of the Pontiff ceremony.

The ceremony, which lasted slightly below an hour, noticed Irish-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, learn the official declaration of loss of life aloud.

Francis’ physique was additionally positioned in an open picket casket within the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta lodge. Two Swiss Guards stood at consideration as Farrell blessed Francis with holy water.

Pictures launched by the Vatican immediately present the pontiff mendacity peacefully, wearing pink liturgical vestments with the papal mitre on his head and a rosary in his hand, because the Vatican secretary of state prayed over him.

Seals had been additionally positioned on the papal house within the Apostolic Palace and on the house in Chapel of Santa Marta, the place Francis had resided. 

Per custom, the camerlengo breaks the pontiff’s Fisherman’s ring with a particular hammer and destroys the dies used to make the papal seal, which is positioned on apostolic letters, earlier than sealing the house. These things will likely be buried with the pope.

There’ll now be 9 days of official mourning, however the historic means of the conclave – the place cardinals will collect within the Sistine Chapel on the Vatican to decide on the subsequent pope – is not going to start for at the least 15 days from the date of Francis’ loss of life. 

The cardinals have not set a date for the conclave to elect Francis’ successor, however the present norms recommend it could not start earlier than Might 5.

The congregation additionally selected three cardinals to assist the camerlengo, administer the Vatican in the course of the ‘interregnum’ interval earlier than the election of a brand new pope. 

Farrell will perform the executive and monetary duties of the Holy See till a brand new pope takes over.

These cardinals are the secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Polish Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, archpriest of the St. Mary Main basilica the place Francis will likely be buried, and Cardinal Fabbio Baggio, a prime official within the Vatican´s growth and migrants workplace.

They are going to be changed after three days with one other three cardinals to assist the interim Vatican administrator.

The pope’s formal flats within the Apostolic Palace had been sealed yesterday night, following a centuries-old ritual. 

Cardinal Farrell, who as camerlengo had the duty of asserting Francis’ loss of life and confirming it as soon as the trigger was decided, presided over the ritual.

Francis selected to not reside within the palace, although, however within the Domus Santa Marta lodge on the opposite aspect of Vatican Metropolis. 

He died there and his physique was transferred to the lodge chapel within the foyer, the place a non-public viewing is being held immediately for Vatican officers and members of the pontifical family.

In modifications made by Francis final 12 months, his physique was not positioned in three picket coffins, because it had been for earlier popes. Fairly, Francis was positioned in a simplified picket coffin with a zinc coffin inside.

As soon as in St. Peter’s, his coffin is not going to be placed on an elevated bier, however will simply be be positioned merely dealing with the pews, with the Pasqual candle close by.

President Donald Trump has introduced he and first woman Melania Trump plan to attend. French President Emmanuel Macron has confirmed his attendance, telling reporters yesterday: ‘We are going to attend the pope’s funeral as we should always.’

Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky plans to journey to Italy for the funeral, a supply in his presidential workplace stated immediately. 

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and first woman Janja Lula da Silva will journey to Rome to attend Pope Francis’ funeral, the Brazilian authorities stated in an announcement on Monday. Argentine President Javier Milei can be anticipated to attend the service.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov advised reporters immediately that Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose international journey is restricted by an Worldwide Felony Court docket arrest warrant, ‘has no such plans’ to attend Francis’ funeral. 

In his closing will, Francis confirmed he could be buried at St. Mary Main basilica, which is exterior the Vatican and residential to his favorite icon of the Virgin Mary. 

Francis would go to the basilica to hope earlier than the Byzantine-style portray that options a picture of Mary, draped in a blue gown, holding the toddler Jesus, who in flip holds a jewelled golden e book.

Francis stopped by the basilica on his approach dwelling from the Gemelli hospital on March 23, after his 38-day hospital keep, to ship flowers to be positioned earlier than the icon. He returned April 12 to hope earlier than the Madonna for the final time.

Francis, in his will dated June 29, 2022, revealed that the bills related together with his burial will likely be lined by an nameless benefactor, Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera studies.

‘The tomb should be within the earth; easy, with out specific ornament and with the one inscription: Franciscus,’ the pontiff reportedly acknowledged in his will.

‘The bills for the preparation of my burial will likely be lined with the sum of cash from the benefactor that I’ve organized, to be transferred to the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and of which I’ve supplied acceptable directions to Monsignor Rolandas Makrickas.’ 

The pontiff’s funeral will likely be presided over by the dean of the School of Cardinals or, if that’s not doable, by the vice dean or one other senior cardinal. 

The present dean is Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 91. The vice dean is Argentine Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, 81.

Cardinals Re and Farrell, the camerlengo, may have key roles within the coming days as they summon the cardinals and put together for the conclave to elect Francis’ successor.

After the funeral, there are 9 days of official mourning, often called the ‘novendiali.’

Throughout this era, cardinals arrive in Rome to take part in conferences earlier than the conclave to elect the subsequent pope.

To offer everybody time to assemble, the conclave should start 15-20 days after the ‘sede vacante’ – the ‘vacant See’ – is said, though it will probably begin sooner if the cardinals agree.

Cardinal-electors will transfer into the lodging inside the Vatican, shutting out contact with the skin world. As soon as the conclave begins, they may collect within the Sistine Chapel to vote in secret periods. 

The Cardinals vote by writing the title of their most popular candidate in disguised handwriting on a card that’s then folded in half and positioned into a big chalice. 

A scrutineer will then take away the playing cards, studying them out one-by-one, earlier than one other cardinal hyperlinks them along with a needle and thread. 

4 rounds of balloting are taken daily till a candidate receives two-thirds of the vote. The results of every poll is counted aloud and recorded by three cardinals.

If no-one receives the required two-thirds of the vote, the ballots are burned in a range close to the chapel with a combination of chemical compounds to supply black smoke.

The method can go to a number of rounds with the identical individuals theoretically getting the identical variety of votes every time as cardinals wait to see who loses help first.

However slowly, cardinals who voted for somebody who solely obtained a really small variety of votes are possible so as to add their vote to one of many stronger candidates within the subsequent spherical.

Factions might be able to make their views recognized throughout casual chats between votes, with key components of Berger’s movie displaying heated discussions amongst cardinals within the canteens and cinemas of the Vatican.

When a cardinal receives the required two-thirds vote, the dean of the School of Cardinals asks him if he accepts his election.

If he accepts, he chooses a papal title and is wearing papal vestments earlier than processing out to the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica. 

The ballots of the ultimate spherical are burned in a particular range, with chemical compounds producing white smoke to sign to the world the election of a brand new pope.

Black smoke signifies that no pope has been elected, whereas white smoke signifies that the cardinals have chosen the subsequent head of the Catholic Church. 

The newly elected Pope will then greet the world on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica the place he’ll make an handle. 

The senior cardinal deacon will announce ‘Habemus Papam’ – ‘Now we have a pope’ – from the balcony earlier than the brand new pope proceeds out and imparts his blessing on the town of Rome and the world.

Church guidelines state the conclave should start between 15 and 20 days after the loss of life of the pope. There isn’t any restrict to how lengthy the method can take, with the longest conclave in historical past having lasted 34 months. 

Cardinals, together with the Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols, and Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe, from London, will participate within the vote for the subsequent pope.

Each aged 79, the pair are just under the cut-off for voting as a part of the conclave.

Whereas all 252 members of the School of Cardinals can attend, solely these aged below 80 can vote – they’re often called the cardinal electors and their quantity is proscribed to 120. As of Tuesday, 138 are eligible to vote. 

Requested concerning the subsequent pope at a press convention on Monday, Cardinal Nichols advised reporters: ‘He must be a person of nice inside power, and I feel nice inside peace.’

He added: ‘I feel these inside capacities of closeness to God and peace are absolutely the necessities.’

Cardinal Radcliffe stated: ‘I feel that we at all times open ourselves to be stunned. All current popes have been fairly completely different from one another.’

Bells tolled in chapels, church buildings and cathedrals all over the world and flags flew at half employees in Italy, India, Taiwan and the US yesterday after Francis’ loss of life was introduced by the Vatican camerlengo. 

Soccer matches in Italy and Argentina had been suspended in honour of the Argentine pope who was a lifelong fan of the San Lorenzo soccer membership.

Tributes poured in from all over the world on Monday, together with from the King and different world leaders, with many praising the Pope for his advocacy for the marginalised, ethical management and compassion. The odd devoted remembered his simplicity and humanity.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated Pope Francis had been ‘a Pope for the poor, the downtrodden and the forgotten’.

He was described by the King, whom he met in current weeks, as somebody who had ‘profoundly touched the lives of so many’.

China’s international ministry expressed condolences immediately following the loss of life of Pope Francis.

‘In recent times, China and the Vatican have maintained constructive contact and carried out pleasant exchanges,’ international ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stated, including: ‘China is keen to make joint efforts with the Vatican to advertise the continued enchancment of China-Vatican relations.’

In East Timor, the place Francis’ closing outside Mass drew practically half of the inhabitants final September, President Jose Ramos-Horta praised Francis’ braveness. 

‘Papa Francisco was a courageous man who was not afraid to talk out in opposition to the rulers of the world who search battle, however don’t need to search peace,’ Ramos-Horta stated.

‘He challenged the highly effective to behave with justice, known as nations to welcome the stranger, and reminded us that our frequent dwelling – this Earth – is a present we should shield for future generations,’ stated Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, who’s Muslim. 

Nigeria is Africa’s most populous nation and has round 30 million Catholics, representing about 14 per cent of the whole inhabitants.

Francis tried to keep up the Vatican’s conventional diplomatic neutrality when it got here to Ukraine, and that led to criticism for what some known as an unclear place on Russia’s invasion of its neighbour.

He at occasions expressed obvious sympathy with Russia’s rationale for invading Ukraine – like when he stated NATO was ‘barking at Russia’s door’ with its eastward enlargement. 

And final 12 months he known as on Ukraine to indicate the ‘braveness’ to barter peace.

Putin in a condolence message praised Francis as a ‘constant defender of the excessive values of humanism and justice.’ Zelensky stated his nation was grieving and recalled how the pope typically prayed for peace in Ukraine.

Francis additionally had critics who argued that he did not convey justice to victims of clergy intercourse abuse or to convey the wanted reforms to the church. The Ladies’s Ordination Convention additionally lamented Francis’ unwillingness to push for the ordination of ladies.