Pope Francis' funeral date announced by Vatican as first images of his body released

Pope Francis' funeral has been scheduled for 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. Eastern) on Saturday in front of St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican announced Tuesday, following a meeting of the College of Cardinals at the Catholic Church's city-state headquarters in the heart of Rome. The coffin carrying the pope, who died Monday morning after suffering a stroke and heart failure at the age of 88, will be brought in a procession Wednesday morning, accompanied by cardinals, to the basilica from his residence at Casa Santa Marta, where he died.The pope's body was placed in his coffin in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence on Monday. On Tuesday, the Vatican released the first photos and video of Francis since his death, showing him in the wooden coffin wearing a red robe with the papal mitre on his head and a rosary intertwined in his hands.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.