Tura, April 21: Pope Francis passed away less than 24 hours after making his final public appearance during the Easter Sunday celebration at St Peter’s Square in the Vatican.
He greeted the crowd from his wheelchair, waving and saying, “Dear brothers and sisters, happy Easter.” An aide read out the traditional Easter message and blessing while he sat and watched.
After the blessing, he was taken around the square where many brought babies for him to bless.
Pope Francis had planned for a simpler funeral, breaking away from the traditional elaborate ceremonies. While former popes were buried in three coffins (cypress, lead, and oak), Francis chose a plain wooden coffin lined with zinc.
He also ended the custom of placing the Pope’s body on a raised platform (called a catafalque) for public viewing. Instead, mourners will pay respects while the coffin remains open without the lid.
He will be the first Pope in over 100 years to be buried outside the Vatican — in the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome.
Francis made history as the first Pope from the Americas and the Southern Hemisphere, and the first non-European Pope in more than 1,200 years.
He was also the first Jesuit to become Pope and continued to introduce reforms while remaining respected among traditionalists.
Pope Francis was elected in 2013 as Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina. His predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, had stepped down in 2013 — the first Pope to retire voluntarily in nearly 600 years.
