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Today at noon, the beautiful St. Patrick's Cathedral on Fifth Avenue and 50th Street will host a public mass in honor of the late Pope Francis, who passed away yesterday at the age of 88.
The service will be led by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who will then leave for Rome for the Latin American pontiff's funeral, scheduled to take place in Italy on Saturday. All those interested are invited to attend the gathering.
Pope Francis was elected to the position back on March 13, 2013, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI, who had resigned on February 28, 2013 citing declining health due to old age. Pope Francis was lauded for his dedication to serving the poor and marginalized.
Breaking a century-old tradition, he will actually be buried outside of the Vatican, at the St. Mary Major basilica in Rome. According to Pix11, in his last will, the pontiff "wished for a simple tomb in the ground bearing only the inscription, 'Franciscus.'"
Although the official event will take place on Saturday at 10am, the public will be able to pay respects to the figure in St. Peter's Square in Rome starting tomorrow—just in case you have a trip planned.
Following the funeral, about 15 to 20 days after the passing, the process to elect a new Pope, known as the conclave, will officially kick off.
Just in case you haven't, this might be a good time to watch the 2024 Academy Award nominated movie Conclave. Starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow, among others, the film documents the secretive and ancient process of selecting a new pope.