The Pope’s funeral will be on Friday at 4 am, ET (10 AM Rome). The General Congregation of Cardinals decided this question this morning.
As a reminder from my article on the death of the Pope and selection of his successor.
While the Chair of Peter is vacant, there are two congregations of cardinals that take care of business. The Particular Congregation deals with the ordinary affairs of the Holy See, and it consists of the Camerlengo and three cardinals, ones from each order or rank, chosen by lot from among the cardinal-electors presently in Rome (cardinal-electors are any under the age of 80). The three cardinal-assistants change every three days.
For more important questions that arise, the General Congregation, which consists of all the cardinals present in Rome, deals with those. Also, any decision of one Particular Congregation can only be changed by the General Congregation, not by any subsequent Particular Congregation.
At the death of the pope, every cardinal who does not have a legitimate impedimentRL=http%3A%2F%2Famywelborn.typepad.com%2Fopenbook%2F2005%2F04%2Ftime_flies.html">Amy Welborn / Michael Dubrueil / Michael of the Holy Whappings / Victor Morton / David Ancell / Peter Sean Bradley
There were many more, some just a simple goodbye or prayer for the repose of his soul. Others were longer reflections. What strikes me about them is the diversity of experience and perspective with a unity of love and devotion for the Holy Father.
My head and heart are swimming in memories. I’m also watching a lot of excessively GOOD television coverage, even Geraldo!
My wife and I were privileged to receive the sposi novelli blessing on our honeymoon in Rome. I rehearsed my little “Thanks for Veritatis Splendor, etc etc etc” speech but when I arrived in his presence, I, uh, wasn’t quite so articulate. And then some. His eyes were so often described as lucid and blue, and we found out why.
His voice was quite striking as well, simultaneously resonant and soft. Think Aslan as your grandfather.
His “aura” is quite the opposite of that of a celebrity, sightings of whom are dime a dozen here in LA. Movie stars suck up the energy in the room with “who cares about you, look at me;” the Holy Father radiated, “forget about me, what about you?
One feels adrift and not a little melancholy, although both sentiments vanish when one thinks of the angels and saints who’re greeting our beloved Shepherd with heavenly hoots and hollers.