A solemn and deeply symbolic procession unfolded on Wednesday morning as the coffin of Pope Francis was carried from the Casa Santa Marta to Saint Peter’s Basilica, marking a key moment in the final farewell to the beloved pontiff.
To the mournful tolling of St. Peter’s bells, eight Swiss Guards dressed in ceremonial attire accompanied the wooden coffin, which was borne on the shoulders of pallbearers.
The coffin had remained open during the brief rites inside the chapel, where Francis had lived humbly until his death on Monday at the age of 88.
The procession drew tens of thousands of faithful and mourners, who packed St. Peter’s Square to witness the historic moment.
A long line of clergy in choir dress and cassocks walked in reverence behind the coffin, with many priests holding candles and groups of nuns joining in prayer.
Red-robed cardinals, dignitaries, and members of the Roman Curia added to the gravity of the scene, forming a ceremonial escort for the late pope.
The air was filled with silence, broken only by prayers and the distant chimes of the basilica’s bells.
Pope Francis, the first Latin American pope and a global icon of humility and reform, passed away after suffering a stroke, slipping into a coma, and eventually succumbing to heart failure.
His funeral, scheduled for Saturday, is expected to be one of the largest gatherings of world leaders and religious figures in recent history, as the world prepares to bid farewell to a pontiff who reshaped the image of the Catholic Church in the 21st century.
