Following the massive funeral of Pope Francis, where over 200,000 people gathered at St. Peter's to bid farewell to the Pontiff, a new chapter in the search for the new Pope begins. The novendiales have started, nine days of masses in honor of Francis. It is expected that the Conclave, the meeting of cardinals to choose Francis' successor, will follow shortly, and today, Monday, April 28, they are expected to set a specific date for its celebration. In fact, a meeting of the cardinals has started at 9:00 hours.
One of the main concerns is whether Cardinal Angelo Becciu, convicted of financial irregularities, will participate in the Conclave or not. Especially after two letters signed by Pope Francis opposing his participation have surfaced.
Cardinal Zuppi believes the meeting between Trump and Zelensky was "a miracle" by Pope Francis
The meeting between the U.S. President, Donald Trump, and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky this Saturday at the Vatican, just before Pope Francis' funeral, was "a miracle" by the Argentine pontiff, according to the Italian cardinal Matteo Zuppi, one of the 'papabili' in the Conclave to elect the new pope.
"Pope Francis performed a miracle by bringing Trump and Zelensky together, talking, on the day of his funeral," said the former papal envoy to mediate in the war in Ukraine and one of the cardinals closest to Jorge Bergoglio in statements published this Monday by the newspaper 'Repubblica'.
The cardinal, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, has extensive experience in conflict resolution, such as in Mozambique, Burundi, or Guatemala, and also pays great attention to the underprivileged, in line with Francis' pontificate.
Rituals and secrets of the cardinals in the days leading up to the Conclave: room assignment draw at Santa Marta, curfew, and tennis matches
At the Caffè dei Papi, on Via Vespasiano, located between the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Square, the 79-year-old Archbishop Emeritus Anselmo Guido Pecorari stopped for a sandwich and a beer on the second day of the novendiales. "Today I feel light," he jokes, "but last night I went to La Taverna restaurant with my friend Mario Zenari from Verona, and we had excellent Roman-style artichokes," he adds.
Every day, cardinals from all over the world arrive in Rome for the Conclave, expected to take place next week. And what do they do while waiting for this eagerly anticipated meeting held in the Sistine Chapel? Pecorari, a friend of many cardinals, some of them candidates for the new Pope, says these are days of meetings where they get to know each other, gradually mapping out who the next Pontiff will be. "I assure you that it's better to do this talking in a restaurant than at Santa Marta. You can be more relaxed and, above all, away from prying ears. The only problem is that they have to finish dinner before 10:30 p.m. Otherwise, they need permission from the Swiss Guards to return home," he says about the curfew.
A new meeting of the cardinals begins at 9:00 hours
A new meeting of the cardinals in Rome starts at 9:00 hours, from which the date of the Conclave to decide the new Pope is expected to emerge.
The cathedrals of Almería, Córdoba, Huelva, Jaén, and Seville hold a mass for Pope Francis on Monday
The cathedrals of Almería, Córdoba, Huelva, Jaén, and Seville celebrate a funeral mass on Monday, April 28, in memory of Pope Francis, who passed away last Monday. On the other hand, the Cathedral of Cádiz is scheduled to hold this mass on Wednesday, while in Málaga, it will take place on Friday. These celebrations add to the funeral mass already held at the Cathedral of Granada last Thursday.
Following the funeral mass held last Saturday at the Vatican, the novendiales period has begun, a nine-day cycle during which masses are celebrated for the deceased pontiff. In this context, and according to information gathered by Europa Press, the funeral mass for Pope Francis at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Almería will take place at 8:00 p.m. and will be presided over by the diocesan bishop, Antonio Gómez Cantero.
The Diocese of Almería has invited the entire diocesan community -- priests, religious, lay faithful -- to participate in this mass, offered as "an expression of gratitude for the life and ministry of Pope Francis, the universal shepherd of the Church and a witness of hope for our time," entrusting his soul to the mercy of the Lord. After this diocesan funeral, each priest will be able to celebrate funeral masses in their respective parishes and communities.
The Vatican closes the Sistine Chapel to the public and prepares for a papal conclave
The Vatican has closed the Sistine Chapel, where the cardinals will gather for the conclave to elect the next pope following the death of Pope Francis on April 21 at the age of 88.
Francis was buried on Saturday after a funeral in St. Peter's Square that brought together world leaders and hundreds of thousands of people, and a nine-day mourning period continues before the conclave can begin.
At the same time, the Church is focusing on the next steps.
Today they could set the date for the Conclave celebration
It is expected that the Conclave, the meeting of cardinals to choose Francis' successor, will follow shortly, and today, Monday, April 28, they are expected to set a specific date for its celebration. It is expected to be between May 5 and 11.