Pope’s Coffin Sealed Ahead of Funeral on Saturday

Pope Francis’ coffin has been solemnly sealed following a quiet and symbolic ceremony in St Peter’s Basilica, drawing to a close the final moments of public mourning for the beloved pontiff.

After three days of lying in state that saw an estimated 250,000 people stream through the basilica to pay their last respects, the vast space emptied as the final mourners filed past.

The Pope had been displayed in front of the Confessio altar, laid to rest in a simple wooden coffin at ground level — not upon a raised catafalque — a choice he had explicitly made to reflect his humility.

Clad in a red chasuble and white mitre, with a rosary clasped in his hands, Francis’ body rested in solemn dignity.

The rite of sealing, conducted by Cardinal-Camerlengo Kevin Farrell, opened with the reading of a detailed document recounting the key events of Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s life and papacy.

The record highlighted his years in Germany, his ministry in Argentina, and his everyday simplicity — “a normal person,” it said, who travelled by metro and bus, lived in a modest flat, and cooked his own meals.

"The memory of the 266th Pope," the document read, "remains in the heart of the Church and of all humanity."

Archbishop Diego Ravelli performed the symbolic act of covering the Pope’s face with a white silk cloth, followed by Cardinal Farrell sprinkling the body with holy water.

A small bag containing coins and commemorative medals struck during Francis' pontificate was placed inside the coffin, signifying the historical span of his leadership.

The ceremony continued with the placement of a zinc coffin inside the wooden one. On the lid, the late Pope’s cross, his coat of arms, and a plaque bearing his name, birth and death dates, and years of service as Bishop of Rome were arranged, while psalms echoed softly through the basilica.

In accordance with tradition, the zinc coffin was sealed with the official marks of the Cardinal-Camerlengo, the Prefecture of the Papal Household, the Vatican Chapter, and the Office for Liturgical Celebrations.

It was then encased in the wooden outer coffin, which itself was sealed, bearing the symbols of Pope Francis’ pastoral identity.

The sealed coffin will be placed in the Vatican Grottoes after the funeral Mass, scheduled for tomorrow morning in St Peter’s Square.

The Mass is expected to draw world leaders, bishops, and thousands of faithful, paying tribute to a Pope remembered not only for his reformist zeal and compassionate theology, but for a personal style that redefined papal life in the 21st century.

As the basilica’s lights dimmed and its great doors closed for the night, the Vatican stood still — awaiting the dawn of a final farewell.

Pope Francis’ coffin is sealed in a private ceremony in St Peter’s Basilica, after some 250,000 mourners had paid their respects.