LAST UPDATE | 22 Apr 2025

The Pope's body in the ground-floor chapel of the Casa Santa Marta last night. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

THE VATICAN HAS this morning published photos and a video of Pope Francis in his open coffin.

He is dressed in a red robe with the papal mitre on his head and a rosary in his hand.

The images were taken in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, Francis’s residence at the Vatican where he died on Monday, age 88.

Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Farrell presides over the rite of the ascertainment of death and the placement of the late Pope Francis' body in the coffin, which took place on Monday evening in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta. pic.twitter.com/63aPKTW9nD

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) April 22, 2025

The pictures show the rite confirming his death yesterday evening.

Cardinals are meeting for the first time this morning since Pope Francis died, and have confirmed that the funeral of the late pontiff will be held on Saturday at 10am local time (9am Irish time). 

Pope Francis with rosary beads in his coffin. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Tomorrow, the coffin will be transferred from the Chapel of the Domus Sanctæ Marthæ to the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter. 

The procession will pass through Piazza Santa Marta and Piazza dei Protomartiri Romani; from the Arch of the Bells it will exit into Piazza San Pietro and enter the Vatican Basilica through the central door.

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At the Altar of the Confession, the Cardinal Camerlengo will preside over the Liturgy of the Word, at the end of which the visits to the body of Pope Francis will begin.

On Saturday, the funeral mass of the Pope Francis will take place in the churchyard of St. Peter’s Basilica, which is expected to draw huge crowds

The funeral liturgy will be presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals.

Afterwards, the coffin of the late Pope will be taken to St. Peter’s Basilica, and from there to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for burial.

With reporting by Diarmuid Pepper and © – AFP 2025