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Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo, presided over the rite of the closing and sealing of the coffin.
Pope Francis passed away at 7:35 a.m. local time on Easter Monday, April 21, at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta, as confirmed by the Holy See Press Office. The 88-year-old pontiff led the Catholic Church for a little more than 12 years. Follow here for live updates of the latest news and information on the papal transition:
Pope Francis, whose just over 12-year pontificate was characterized by an emphasis on mercy and compassion, the need to care for creation, and attention to the marginalized and “peripheries” of not only the Church but also of society, resonated quite well with the people of God in Africa.
Members of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) have eulogized the late Pope Francis as “a fearless leader” who committed himself to establishing a Synodal church.
As he prepares to leave for Rome to join other Cardinal Electors ahead of the Conclave for the election of a new Pope, Stephen Cardinal Brislin of the Catholic Archdiocese of Johannesburg in South Africa has paid glowing tribute to late Pope Francis, recalling his impact on the people of God across the globe and “not just” on Catholics.
In a 12-year pontificate marked by reform, global outreach, and an emphasis on mercy, late Pope Francis has left behind a legacy of a most prolific canonizer in the history of the Catholic Church.
Pope Francis’ Encyclical Letter on care for our common home, Laudato Si’, which marks its 10th anniversary this year, has had a positive impact on society since its release in 2015, a Kenyan Catholic environmentalist has said.
Long lines of mourners, many waiting more than four hours under the hot Roman sun, wound around St. Peter’s Square on the first day of viewing on April 23.
Presidents of different African countries have penned moving tributes to Pope Francis, describing him as a tireless champion of the poor, a “guiding light for millions”, and a shepherd who emphasized in dealing with the challenges facing humanity.
Archbishop Goetbé Edmond Djitangar of the Catholic Archdiocese of N’Djaména in Chad has called on the people of God in his Metropolitan See to honor Pope Francis's legacy by embracing his commitment to fight injustice and protect the environment.
Protase Cardinal Rugambwa of Tanzania’s Catholic Archdiocese of Tabora has appealed for spiritual solidarity with the College of Cardinals entrusted with leading the Church during the Papal Interregnum, the period between the passing or resignation of a pope and the election of his successor.
The rite began in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta and ended with the Holy Father’s body before the Altar of Confession in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Bishop Melchisedec Sikuli Paluku of the Catholic Diocese of Butembo-Beni in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has remembered the 2023 visit of Pope Francis to the troubled African country, during which the Holy Father lauded the vitality of the Church in the country.
April 23, the patron saint’s day of Pope Francis, is a holiday at the Vatican and the pope usually celebrated it with acts of charity toward people in need.
The late Pope Francis was a humble, missionary-minded shepherd close to all and whose vision for a synodal and merciful Church remains alive, Ignace Cardinal Bessi Dogbo of the Ivory Coast’s Catholic Archdiocese of Abidjan has said.
Various factors are at play when it comes to the decision of a burial place for a pope. Pope Francis has chosen the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore.
Bishops across Africa have issued directives in their respective Dioceses, encouraging special prayers for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis who passed on Easter Monday, April 21 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta.
Pope Francis greeted the faithful around the world for the last time from St. Peter’s Basilica on the most important day for Christians: Easter.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Ndola in Zambia has declared a period of mourning following the passing on of Pope Francis, and suspended major activities it had lined up before the Easter Monday news was made public.
Rooted in ancient Christian and Roman customs, the Novendiales is a period of nine consecutive days dedicated to mourning the death of a pope.