Catholic cardinals are meeting this morning for the first time to decide when Pope Francis’s body will be moved to St Peter’s Basilica – and when the funeral will take place.
According to the apostolic constitution, the Universi Dominici Gregis – meaning the Lord’s whole flock – the service should happen “between the fourth and sixth day after death”.
That would put the date of the funeral between Friday, April 25 – Liberation Day in Italy, a national holiday – and Sunday, April 27.
Multiple Italian outlets are reporting the service is likely to be scheduled for Saturday, with national news agency Ansa citing Vatican sources.
