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The conclave will begin in Rome in a few days, during which the cardinals will elect a new pope. Cardinal Christoph Schönborn talks about his expectations.
Tomorrow, Saturday, Pope Francis will be buried in Rome—quite simply, as he wished—not in the magnificent St. Peter’s Basilica but in his favorite church, Santa Maria Maggiore, in a simple wooden coffin under the floor.
The tomb slab will only say “Franciscus.” His funeral will be based on how he lived: simple and close to the people, especially the poor. Nevertheless, a mega-event with many prominent guests is expected tomorrow. Countless people from all over the world are traveling to pay their last respects to the Pope.
“What happens next? The conclave will begin in Rome in a few days, where the cardinals will elect a new pope. I am now often asked, What do you expect from the Pope? Above all, what his title says! For a long time, the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, has been called “Pontifex.” This Latin word means “bridge builder.”
I believe that many people want a pope for our world who builds bridges across the many divides that separate us. To find common ground between religions, East and West, North and South, and above all between us and God. Francis did that. Tomorrow, many will thank him for it.
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