Pope Francis funeral live updates: 400,000 bid farewell to pontiff after ‘potentially historic’ Trump-Zelensky meeting

A nine-day mourning interval, referred to as the novendiali, has formally begun following the funeral service for Pope Francis.

Throughout this time, cardinals from world wide will arrive on the Vatican forward of the papal conclave, the secretive gathering the place a brand new pope shall be elected.

As soon as the conclave begins, the cardinals will stay contained in the Vatican till the election is full.

The Vatican has but to announce when the papal conclave start, however the earliest date it may possibly begin is 5 Might, the day after the Novemdiales ends.

Usually, the conclave should start between 15 to twenty days after a pope dies, that means it should begin after 5 Might however will be no later than 11 Might.

It could take a matter of days or even weeks for cardinals to pick out the following chief of the Catholic Church.

Pope Francis’s election was surprisingly quick, with the School of Cardinals solely taking a day – 5 ballots – to proclaim him the following pontiff.

However the shortest conclave in historical past was believed to have taken place in 1503, when Julius II was elected in slightly below 10 hours to take over Pius III.

In the meantime, the longest happened between 1268 and 1271, following the demise of Pope Clement IV, the place cardinals took years to resolve that Gregory X could be their subsequent chief. The lengthy resolution time was all the way down to infighting between the cardinals.

Here’s a visible recap of Pope Francis’s funeral, for many who missed the historic occasion which noticed 400,000 mourners pay their respects in St Peter’s Sq.:

The demise of Pope Francis has set in movement a centuries-old ritual involving sacred oaths, carried out by the cardinals who will elect his successor.

The method of electing a brand new Pope is shrouded in secrecy, with cardinals forbidden from speaking with the surface world what occurs within the conclave, which takes place inside the frescoed walls of the Sistine Chapel.

The pontiff’s age, alongside together with his well being issues in recent times – together with his current complicated lung an infection – led to questions being requested effectively earlier than his demise about who would succeed him.

As is all the time the case, within the months and years previous to the demise of a pope, a collection of candidates referred to as papabile emerge because the frontrunners to change into the brand new chief of the Catholic Church.

A pope’s funeral is an opportunity for world leaders to speak to one another head to head as if at a summit assembly.

Many of those “casual” conversations shall be choreographed by officers, logged in leaders’ schedules as “brush bys” and “bilats” (bilateral conferences), and for Keir Starmer they supply an surprising alternative to finalise negotiations with European leaders forward of the EU-UK summit at Lancaster House on 19 May.

Tens of millions world wide could have tuned in to look at as Pope Francis was laid to rest on Saturday, with 400,000 mourners alone paying their remaining respects outdoors St Peter’s Basilica.

Francis’s funeral marks the primary day of the ‘Novemdiales’, or 9 days of mourning, earlier than the Cardinals can begin the papal conclave, a centuries outdated ritual to pick out the following pope.

A notice positioned in Pope Francis’s coffin earlier than he was buried paid tribute to his braveness, his love of the poor and his “dialogue with Muslims and representatives of different religions”.

It referred to the 266th pope as “the beloved Shepherd of the Church”.

Consistent with custom, a bag of cash and medals minted throughout his papacy, in addition to a “Rogito” – or deed – summarising his life had been additionally positioned within the coffin.

The deed, a type of obituary written in Latin and sealed inside a metal cylinder, said he “left to all a marvellous witness of humanity, of holy living, and of universal fatherhood” and that the “entire Christian Community, especially the poor, praised God” for his work.