Mourners Pay Respect to Pope Francis as Cardinals Fine Tune Funeral Plans

Priests, pilgrims, and cardinals dressed in black robes and red sashes gathered in the streets of the Vatican on Thursday to pay their respects to Pope Francis as preparations for his funeral accelerated.

The conclave to select the next pope has not yet begun, but cardinals held their third congregation meeting on Thursday morning to discuss logistics and set priorities for the upcoming conclave.

More cardinals have arrived in Rome ahead of Francis’ funeral on Saturday, where they will continue to lay out their priorities for the future of the church.

As they gathered for meetings, some cardinals expressed their desire for the church to focus on preaching the authentic faith and making important decisions for the future.

“The central point is the preaching of the authentic faith as it is,” said Cardinal Mauro Piacenza.

The cardinals have been mainly focused on arrangements for Francis’ funeral and commemorations, but they will soon need to decide on a date for the conclave to select the next pope.

During a previous conclave meeting, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio emphasized the church’s duty to reach those at the “peripheries,” a message that resonated and led to his election as Pope Francis.

Since Wednesday, thousands of people have paid their respects to Francis, with many more lining up in St. Peter’s Square to honor his memory.

“Pope Francis is watching us from up there,” said one mourner, reflecting on the impact of his legacy.