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Pope Francis passed away at age 88. Later, with the Vatican released images of him in an open coffin at his residence. His funeral will be held later this week.
Pope Francis in open coffin (Photos: AFP)
The Vatican on Tuesday released photos of Pope Francis in his open coffin. The images were taken in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, Francis’s residence at the Vatican, where he passed away on Monday.
In the pictures, Pope Francis could be seen dressed in a red robe with the papal mitre on his head and a rosary in his hand.
Pope Francis died of a stroke on Monday, aged 88.
His funeral is to be held later this week in the presence of worshippers and dignitaries before a conclave of cardinals is convened to elect a successor.
The Vatican announced that Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, who shook up the Catholic Church, had died after he battled a bout of double pneumonia that had hospitalised him for weeks before he was discharged on March 23.
Francis made more than 45 international trips during his papacy, including the first by any pope to Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Myanmar, North Macedonia, Bahrain and Mongolia.
Francis had on April 20 made his first prolonged public appearance since being discharged from hospital on March 23, occasionally waving to onlookers and greeting a child who was brought to his side.
In an Easter Sunday message read aloud by an aide as the pope looked on from the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, the pontiff had reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza – a conflict he had long railed against.
At the Vatican, locals, tourists and pilgrims visiting for Easter expressed their shock and grief.
