Pope Francis’ funeral is set for Saturday

Pope Francis’ funeral has been set for Saturday at 10 a.m. local time in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals.

Cardinals met at the Vatican to schedule Pope Francis’ funeral and burial, plan the conclave to elect his successor and make other decisions about running the Catholic Church as world leaders and the ordinary faithful grieve the pontiff’s death.

The public viewing of Pope Francis will begin as soon as Wednesday morning in St Peter’s Basilica, after his casket is taken by procession from the Vatican hotel where he lived.

In his final will, Francis confirmed he would be buried at St Mary Major basilica, which is outside the Vatican and home to his favourite icon of the Virgin Mary.

The cardinals haven’t set a date for the conclave to elect Francis’ successor, but the current norms suggest it couldn’t begin before May 5.

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Even though cardinals don’t campaign for the job, there are always front-runners going into a conclave to choose the next pope. These candidates, known as “papabile,” have what are regarded to be the qualities to be pope.

While any baptised Roman Catholic male is eligible, only cardinals have been selected since 1378. The winner must receive at least two-thirds of the vote from those cardinals who are under age 80 and thus eligible to participate.

The sacred and secretive process is no popularity contest, but rather considered to be the divinely inspired election of Christ’s Vicar on Earth by the princes of the church.