Cardinals meet again for advice after Pope death, Vatican makes an exception-Diepresse.com

Gradually, the cardinals of the World Church in Rome arrive at After the death of Pope Francis to vote for a new head of the Catholic Church soon. Thursday morning (9:00 a.m.) the already in the Vatican have to come together for a third official meeting since Francis’ death. After a short break, the St. Peter’s Basilica was opened on the second day for the Pope’s public attitude. Again, thousands of people passed the open coffin.

Before St. Peter’s Square and the Security Control, a queue of believers formed about one kilometer long before 8 a.m. This led partly in zigzag lines across adjacent places and side streets. Administrative forces and volunteers regulated traffic around people. At 7:00 a.m., the security guards finally began to let the believers be presented to the church. There is in front of the main altar of the Pontifex, which died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. Francis has been laid out in the open coffin until Friday evening before he is closed for the funeral service and burial on Saturday.

Petersdom remains open longer than planned

The Holy Stuhl had actually planned to open St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday and Thursday until midnight. Because of the great rush, however, those responsible decided to let people go into the cathedral even after midnight. In a live stream from the basilica you could see how people were repeatedly admitted until the morning hours who had previously been waiting for hours for hours.

The cardinals advise on important decisions for the next few days. The conversations about the upcoming conclave are also in full swing. The views are therefore focused on the meetings of the cardinals behind the Vatican walls known as the general congregation. Details on the upcoming pope choice are eagerly awaited. So far, however, it is not known when a decision about the exact start of the conclusion through the cardinals can be expected.

According to estimates, the conclave for the election of the new Pope probably begins in early May – again in the Sistine chapel. The speculations about the future Pontifex have long been running. Media present church men every day who could be successful in the conclave. They are considered « papabiles », i.e. the papal office.

Alliances are already forged at meetings

Even if it is not yet a precise date, the cardinal meetings in front of the conclave are also an opportunity for exchange. The clergymen get to know each other and forge possibly alliances that could determine the outcome of the conclusion. The conversations in the general congregations are already about one thing: the profile of the new Pope.

With the conclave, 135 cardinals under the age of 80 are entitled to choose the new Pope, but two cardinals already canceled for health reasons. All cardinals can take part in the General Congregation, including those who are not eligible to vote. Before the third round, participants try to screw the expectations down for the time being. « We haven’t decided yet. It’s just a start, » said Frenchman Jean-Paul Vesco.

Nine -day mourning time

Church men have gathered twice for the Congregation for General and made initial decisions. On Tuesday there were around 60 cardinals, at the second encounter on Wednesday there were already more than 100 purple bearers. At the recent meeting, details about the Novendiale were discussed, the nine -day mourning period after the Pope’s death.

The mourning time begins on Saturday, the day of the funeral of Francis, and ends on May 4th. Every day a trade fair for the late Pope is read in St. Peter’s Basilica. The celebrations are public and can be visited by all believers. Various high -ranking church men are available on the nine days.

After the creation of the dead Pope’s body, believers can continue to say goodbye to the open coffin in St. Peter’s Basilica. Already on Wednesday, the first day of attitude, tens of thousands of people visited him. They had to wait several hours to enter the large basilica. At times, around 100,000 believers frolicked on St. Peter’s Square to be close to the dead Pope. St. Peter’s Basilica is still open until Friday evening (7 p.m.). After that – at 8:00 p.m. – the coffin is closed and prepared for the funeral service on Saturday.

Rome for funeral service in the state of emergency

Many state guests from all over the world as well as hundreds of thousands of believers are expected for the funerals. After the fair on St. Peter’s Square, the coffin is brought to the basilica Santa Maria Maggiore. There, at his own request, Francis is buried in a certain niche in the left aisle of the church in the center of Rome close to a lady icon he worshiped.

Preparations for this big event are running in Rome – the Italian capital is in a state of emergency. Italy’s civil protection is based on hundreds of thousands at the funeral service. Public transport should be reinforced. Volunteers should support believers who want to go to St. Peter’s Square. The highest safety precautions also apply. (APA/dpa)