The Vatican has announced the cardinals who will offer “Novendiales” Masses or nine days of mourning marked with Masses for the passing of Pope Francis.
According to the Holy See Press Office, the celebrations of the Eucharist will start with a funeral Mass on April 26 and will conclude on May 4.
“These celebrations are open to all. However, each day they will involve the participation of a different group, taking into account its links with the Roman Pontiff. This variety of assemblies shows, in a certain way, both the scope of the ministry of the Supreme Pastor and the universality of the Church of Rome,” the Holy See Press Office said.
Novendiales is an ancient tradition wherein Masses are held for nine consecutive days in memory of the deceased Pope. Below is the schedule of the Masses:
Day 1: Saturday, April 26 – Funeral of Pope Francis (10 a.m., St. Peter’s Square)
- Presider: Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals
Day 2: Sunday, April 27 – Mass for the Jubilee of Teenagers/for Vatican employees and faithful (10:30 a.m., St. Peter’s Square)
- Presider: Cardinal Pietro Parolin, former Vatican secretary of state
Day 3: Monday, April 28 – For the Catholics and clergy in Rome (5 p.m., Inside St. Peter’s Basilica)
- Presider: Cardinal Baldassare Reina, vicar general of the Diocese of Rome
Day 4: Tuesday, April 29 – For chapters of the papal basilicas (5 p.m., St. Peter’s Basilica)
- Presider: Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica
Day 5: Wednesday, April 30 – For the papal chapel (5 p.m., St. Peter’s Basilica)
- Presider: Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, vice dean of the College of Cardinals
Day 6: Thursday, May 1 – For the Roman Curia (5 p.m., St. Peter’s Basilica)
- Presider: Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, former prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith
Day 7: Friday, May 2 – For the Eastern Churches (5 p.m., St. Peter’s Basilica)
- Presider: Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, former prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches
Day 8: Saturday, May 3 – For institutes of consecrated life and apostolic societies (5 p.m., St. Peter’s Basilica)
- Presider: Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, former prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
Day 9: Sunday, May 4 – For the papal chapel (5 p.m., St. Peter’s Basilica)
- Presider: Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, protodeacon of the College of Cardinals
However, the Vatican said that the Masses on April 30 and May 4 are reserved to the Cardinals only.
Philippine church mourning period
Meanwhile, a “Novendiales” Mass will also be held in the Dioceses of Malolos in Bulacan from April 26 to May 4.
Pope Francis died of a stroke and irreversible heart failure on Easter Monday, April 21. He was 88 years old.
Pope Francis revealed his last wishes in his will published Monday, asking to be buried in a simple, unadorned tomb inside his beloved Roman basilica, Santa Maria Maggiore.
“Feeling that the sunset of my earthly life is approaching and with lively hope in Eternal Life, I wish to express my testamentary will only as regards the place of my burial,” wrote the pope in his will dated June 29, 2022, that was published Monday by the Vatican.
The Pope will be laid to rest on Saturday morning, April 26 with a funeral mass in St. Peter’s Square. — BAP, GMA Integrated News
