Pope Francis was laid to rest in a solemn act yesterday in front of many thousands. His remains were buried in Basilica of Saint Mary Major.
The end of his Papacy at 88 now paves the way for a Conclave to be held. It determines the next Pope, and the future of the Church.
In Vatican City, Pope Francis is lying in state in St Peter’s Basilica. It precedes his official funeral this Saturday.
In the coming days, many clergy are due to arrive for it. It forms an important moment for Catholics worldwide.
The visit of the Pope to Luxembourg and then Belgium in recent days suggests a symbolic outreach by the Catholic Church to a part of Europe that is said to be in the throws of a religious decline.
The import of it is without question, since any visit by a Pope is a serious gesture to a local religious community, and a region at large.
Yet the question is whether the strength of an evangelical sort of Catholicism alive in many parts of the world but suffering a din in parts that says no regularly is still strong enough to survive it.