In the monumental "St. Peter's" Square in the Vatican, thousands of believers from around the world, including many Albanians, have begun gathering since the early hours of the morning to participate in the funeral of Pope Francis.
Many people rushed to reach the front rows and seats, which are limited in number, to attend the funeral of Pope Francis.
A group of young Salesians say they have been in the square "since midnight." Meanwhile, a man dressed in traditional Albanian clothing waves his nation's flag, ANSA writes.
“I’ve been in line since 7:00 p.m. yesterday,” he says. With him is Don Antonio, national coordinator of pastoral care for Albanian Catholics in Italy, and another compatriot.
"Thank you Holy Father for the canonization of Mother Teresa, your visit to our country, the beatification of our martyrs," reads the sign they hold in the crowd.
Some, however, wear the uniform of their fraternity, like Lorenci and Luca, who drove 16 hours from Germany to reach Rome and attend Pope Francis' funeral, KosovaPress reports.
Funeral Liturgy: An Eternal Homage to Pope Francis
The funeral Mass begins today at 10:00 a.m., in front of St. Peter's Basilica, and will be presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals. The liturgy will include:
Readings and prayers in different languages
Latin song
The Litany of Saints as a prayer for the soul of Pope Francis
The solemn ritual of sprinkling with holy water
The ceremony ends with the traditional antiphon:
"May the angels accompany you to Heaven..." (A2 Televizion)
A2 CNN Livestream
MUND TE LEXONI GJITHASHTU
