St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City is shown on Friday evening as the final preparations are made before the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday.
Courtesy of Thomas R. Smith
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Nuns are shown praying on the streets of Rome ahead of the the funeral of Pope Francis.
Courtesy of Thomas R. Smith
Thomas R. Smith ‘77, King’s College Board of Directors chairman, offered a welcome speech at King’s College’s commencement in 2023.
Times Leader File Photo
Thomas R. Smith, the chairman of King’s College’s board of directors, is in Rome ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis, who died Monday at age 88. The funeral will be held in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City at 10 a.m. local time, or 4 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, on Saturday.
“The overall sense is that we were happy for his leadership and welcoming and peaceful approach to humanity,” Smith said of the late Pope, adding that the sense among mourners is a mix of sorrow and gratitude. “He will be missed and it is obvious that he was loved and respected.”
Smith said that many mourners were able to be in Rome ahead of the funeral because April 25 is Liberation Day, a national holiday in Italy, but were unable to make it all the way to the Vatican.
The process of choosing Pope Francis’ successor, otherwise known as a papal conclave, is expected to begin within the next three weeks.