The Vatican has released the first photographs of Pope Francis in his casket, as part of the ritual confirming his death, in accordance with official protocol.

According to Vatican News, “during the ceremony at the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, the official declaration of death was read aloud. The act was certified by Cardinal Farrell and the procedure lasted just under an hour.”

The Pontiff’s body will subsequently be transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica, where the public will have the opportunity to pay tribute. The College of Cardinals is holding its first meeting today to set the dates for both the transfer and the funeral.

As stipulated in the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, which governs the procedures following the death of a pope, the funeral must take place “between the fourth and sixth day after his passing.”

According to an official announcement from the Vatican, Pope Francis’ funeral will be held on Saturday, April 26.

Italian media outlets, particularly the national news agency ANSA citing Vatican sources, have also pointed to Saturday, April 26 as the most likely date for the ceremony.

“With death, not everything ends – something new begins”

Alongside the official news, a short excerpt from a text written by the Pontiff was released today. The passage serves as a foreword to an upcoming book by Italian Cardinal Angelo Scola.

“With death, not everything ends – something new begins. It is a new beginning, because eternal life – something that those who love already experience in daily earthly life – marks the start of something that never ends,” Francis had written.

“For this very reason, it is a new beginning. Because we will live something we have never fully known before: eternal life.” This is the legacy he leaves behind in that brief message.