As it happened: Coffin of Pope Francis sealed after 250,000 pay homage to head of Catholic Church
Pope Francis’s coffin was sealed after a quarter of million people visited the late spiritual leader, as heads of state fly in to attend Saturday’s ceremony in St Peter’s Square
The coffin of Pope Francis has been sealed in a private ceremony held by the Vatican ahead of Saturday’s funeral after 250,000 people farewelled the pontiff this week as he lay in state.
Camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell presided at the Rite of Sealing of the Coffin, which was attended by several Cardinals and Holy See officials.
Controversy was also stirred after a retired US cardinal who has faced accusations of mishandling sexual abuse cases was chosen to help seal the coffin and entomb the pontiff’s remains during the burial rites.
Advocates for Catholic clergy sexual abuse victims criticised the appointment of Roger Mahony, archbishop of Los Angeles from 1985 to 2011, for the ceremonial role at the Pope’s funeral. Mahony denies any wrongdoing.
World leaders are flying in ahead of the ceremony in St Peter’s Square, with US president Donald Trump among the heads of state attending. Before departing Washington, Trump told reports Pope Francis was a “good man” who “loved the world”.
While Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky was also among those due to attend, he cast doubt on his plans on Friday evening due to the ongoing war with Russia, which is also sending a dignitary to the funeral.
Security arrangements ahead of the major event include snipers stationed on rooftops, and fighter jets on standby. Streets surrounding the Vatican are under strict control, with law enforcement agencies coordinating to manage the expected influx of hundreds of thousands of mourners.
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Advocates for victims of church abuse have hit out after it emerged a disgraced U.S. cardinal is to help close and seal Pope Francis’ casket ahead of his funeral Saturday.
Cardinal Roger Mahony, 89, was selected by the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations to be one of nine clergymen to be present at the ceremonial Rite of Sealing of the Coffin on Friday in St Peter’s Basilica.
Mahony, archbishop of Los Angeles from 1985 to 2011, will also oversee the pope’s interment at Rome’s Basilica of Saint Mary Major following the service in St. Peter’s Square this weekend, the Vatican announced.
The cardinal was stripped of his administrative and public duties with immediate effect in January 2013 by his successor, Archbishop of Los Angeles Jose Gomez, after he was accused of shielding priests embroiled in a child sex abuse scandal between the 1980s and 1990s to protect the Catholic Church.
James Liddell reports...
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In pictures: the late pope's coffin has been sealed
The Vatican has shared photos of the private moment they sealed Pope Francis’s coffin ahead of the ceremony on Saturday morning.
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