International
Pope Francis will hold his last tour this Saturday in an adapted papamobile, who will transfer his Vatican coffin to the Basilica of Santa María la Mayor.
Pope Francis used to greet the crowd while traveling in the Papamóvil. One of those vehicles was adapted as a funeral car to move the remains of the Supreme Pontiff. (Free Press Photo: AFP)
The funeral car that will take the coffin of Pope Francis this Saturday, from the Vatican to the Roman Basilica of Santa María la Mayor, will be an adapted papamóvil for this ceremony and that the Pontiff used on a trip to the East.
This will be the last trip of the Argentine pontiff in one of these vehicles, with which he used to move between the masses.
The chosen papamobile has been one that Francisco used on one of his trips to the East, as confirmed by the Vatican press office, and for this occasion the car has been adapted to be able to carry, on a platform, the coffin.
Francisco’s funeral, who died last Monday at age 88, will take place at 10 am (8.00 GMT) in the Plaza de San Pedro del Vaticano and then cross Rome in a funeral courtship to the basilica of Santa María la Mayor, where he chose to be buried.
Exequias are expected to congregate about 200,000 people in the Vatican Square, as well as more than 130 delegations from international countries and organizations.
The city of Rome can later give its last goodbye to the Pope during the funeral procession, which will cross the center, through places such as the Plaza Venice, the forums and the Colosseum.