With the passing of Pope Francis early Easter Monday morning, the Catholic Church enters a period of mourning while the College of Cardinals, guided by the Holy Spirit, prepares to choose the next Bishop of Rome.

First, however, the Church will bury and mourn their holy father. When Francis reviewed his funeral rites in 2024, he opted for a public viewing in St. Peter’s Basilica with more simple elements than previous popes.

Rather than have his body elevated on a pedestal, for example, the pope’s body will remain on the ground during the viewing period. The College of Cardinals will decide exactly when the visitation will begin, which will kick off with a large procession into the basilica.

In a similar way, Francis has chosen to be buried in a single coffin made of wood and zinc, rather than the usual three nested coffins of elm (or oak), zinc, and cypress respectively. After public viewing, the........

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