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Farewell ceremony for Pope Francis begins in Vatican

According to the press service of the Holy See, members of the Roman Curia and the Vatican staff are currently paying last respects to the Pope

© Vatican Media via AP, HO

THE VATICAN, April 22. /TASS/. A farewell ceremony for Pope Francis who passed away on April 21 has begun in the chapel of the Santa Marta guesthouse, his Vatican residence.

Official Vatican media outlets published photographs from the ceremony. According to the press service of the Holy See, members of the Roman Curia and the Vatican staff are currently paying last respects to the Pope.

On Wednesday, the coffin with his body will be displayed in the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican City for a public farewell which will last three days. The funeral is expected to take place on Saturday, April 26.

Pope Francis died on April 21 at the age of 88. He took the helm of the Catholic Church as the 266th pope in 2013, following the resignation of his predecessor Benedict XVI (1927-2022).

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