6-Kilometer Funeral Procession from the Vatican to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major After the Funeral Mass
The route and method of the funeral procession that will transport Pope Francis to his burial site at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (the Basilica of Saint Mary Major) in central Rome after his funeral Mass have been revealed.
Aerial footage of the Vatican during the canonization mass of John Paul II on April 27, 2014. Photo by Yonhap News
According to the Italian daily La Repubblica on the 25th (local time), the procession will depart from the Vatican, pass through historical sites such as Piazza Venezia and the Colosseum, and travel approximately 6 kilometers to its final destination, the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.
The procession will move at a walking pace to allow countless citizens to bid their final farewells to the Pope, the media outlet reported.
Pope Francis's funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on the 26th (5:00 p.m. Korean time) in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. Although the exact departure time has not been disclosed, the procession is expected to arrive at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major between 2:00 and 2:30 p.m.
The slow pace of the procession means that it will take a long time to cover the 6-kilometer route. According to the media, this reflects Pope Francis's lifelong philosophy of "being with and close to the people" until the very end.
The route along which the Pope's coffin will travel is known as the "Via Papalis," or "the Pope's Road." In medieval times, popes would ride on horseback along this path from St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican to the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano to take possession of the papal throne after their inauguration.
This is the first time in modern Catholic Church history that a pope's remains will cross the very heart of Rome, the ancient core of the city, in this manner. Pope Francis's "final earthly journey" is expected to be recorded as a truly historic moment.
Following the hearse, only a few vehicles carrying the Pope's family and close associates will proceed. These are expected to include his personal nurse Massimiliano Strappetti, close aides Piergiorgio Zanetti and Daniele Cherubini, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, and his personal secretaries.
The procession route will be strictly controlled. Helicopters and drones will monitor from above, while police forces will supervise people behind barricades. Those attending the funeral Mass in St. Peter's Square will be able to watch the procession on large screens.
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