Vatican: What happens in the 9 days of mourning for the Pope?

With the death of Pope Francis on Monday, the Catholic Church has entered a period of mourning, which will include nine days of masses offered by the rest of his soul, known as the “novelty.”

With roots in ancient Christian and Roman customs, the novelty are a period of nine consecutive days dedicated to the duel for the death of a Pope. This practice dates back centuries and reflects the ancient Roman tradition of a funeral rite of nine days.

According to the law of the Church, while the period of mourning begins immediately after the death of the Pope, marking the official beginning of the “vacancy” or papal interregno, the novelty will begin on the day of the Pope’s funeral, scheduled for April 26, and will be followed by consecutive days of masses until May 4.

In the days before the funeral, the body of the late Pope will be veiled in the Basilica of San Pedro, where the faithful can pay the last tribute. Pope Francis will be veiled from Wednesday morning to funeral, Saturday morning.

The funeral: a world farewell

Between the fourth and the sixth day after the death of the Pope, the papal funeral is celebrated in the Basilica of San Pedro or in the Plaza de San Pedro, chaired by the dean of the Cardinal College, currently Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. The funeral of Pope Francis will take place on Saturday April 26 at 10:00 am (Rome time).

The funeral follows the The Roman Pontiffthe official liturgical text of the Vatican for papal funerals, which was updated at the request of Pope Francis in 2024. The face of the deceased potato, whose body was placed in a simple wooden coffin covered with zinc, is covered with a silk veil.

The ceremony attends heads of state, religious leaders and thousands of faithful around the world. At the end of the Mass, the traditional antiphon is sung “In paradise”, Asking Los Angeles to guide the Pope’s soul to heaven.

“That the angels lead you to paradise; upon your arrival, that the martyrs receive you and lead you to the Holy City of Jerusalem. That the ranks of Los Angeles receive you, and with Lazarus, the poor, you have eternal rest.”

Pope Francis, according to his personal will expressed in his final testament, will not be buried in the Vatican Grutas, but in the Basilica of Santa María la Mayor, Basilica who visited more than 100 times during his papacy, before and after his international trips, in devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The novelty

The nine -day period of novel masses begins on the day of the Pope’s funeral, according to the Apostolic Constitution The universe dominic of the flock.

Every day, a cardinal chosen by the late Pope chairs a requiem mass in the Basilica of San Pedro. Red is the liturgical color of the novelty masses, which follow the The Roman Pontiff (2024).

Although masses are open to the public, every day it is traditionally focused on a specific group associated with the Pope. The day after the funeral, residents and employees of the city of the Vatican are usually invited. The third day, the clergy of the Diocese of Rome concelebrates the Mass, and the seventh day, the members of the Eastern Catholic churches are invited.

The press office of the Holy See has confirmed that the Mass scheduled for Sunday morning in the Plaza de San Pedro on the occasion of the Jubilee of the adolescents, chaired by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, will be the second Mass of novelty. The following masses will take place in the afternoon every day until May 4.

The general congregations

The mourning period is not only a time of prayer, but also of preparation. During the novelty, the Cardenalicio school meets daily in general congregations to discuss the next steps of the Church. Cardinals under 80 years of age, with the right to vote in the next conclave, must travel to Rome to participate in the election of the next Pope.

The first general congregation can take place only two days after the death of the Pope. In these initial meetings, the cardinals focus on the preparations of the funeral and on setting the date of the conclave.

In the eighth general congregation, the conversations focus on the general state of the Church and the main problems facing the Roman curia. The Vatican has emphasized that the names of the Papables are not mentioned – Cardinals considered main candidates to be chosen as Pope – during these predictive congregations.

The mourning period concludes with the end of the novelty, after which the Church formally begins the selection process of the next successor of Peter. The conclave usually begins around the fifteenth day after the death of the Pope.

While the bells of the Basilica of San Pedro bend in mourning sign, Catholics around the world pause to reflect on the life and legacy of Pope Francis. For almost two weeks, the Church expects the beginning of the conclave and then awaits a little more that the Blanca smoke rises again from the Sistine Chapel, announcing the choice of a new Pope.

Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.