It has been confirmed that Pope Francis’ funeral will take place on Saturday, 26 April, and RTÉ will air live coverage of the ceremony on television, radio, and online.
Starting at 8.30 am on RTÉ One and RTE Player, David McCullagh and Sharon Ní Bheoláin will present a special show featuring coverage of the funeral live from St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Áine Lawlor and Fr Michael Collins will also be providing commentary on the ceremony.
On RTÉ Radio 1, special coverage of the funeral of the Pope will be presented by Dearbhail McDonald from 8.30 am.
Additionally, Colm Ó Mongáin and Fr Thomas McCarthy will provide live radio commentary.
Detailed online news reporting, along with video and audio coverage, will be available on the RTÉ News App and RTÉ.ie.
The RTÉ News channel will also broadcast wider coverage of events from the early morning.
The funeral is expected to be attended by many heads of state and international leaders, including the President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins, An Taoiseach Micheál Martin and An Tánaiste Simon Harris.
Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88 after a cerebral stroke that led to a coma and irreversible heart failure.
According to the Italian publication La Repubblica, his cause of death may have been linked to a brain issue.
The outlet also reported that his death did not seem to be related to the respiratory issues that led to the Catholic Church leader’s hospitalisation earlier this year.
The article quoted anonymous medical staff at the Gemelli hospital, where the pope had treatment from February to March, as saying: “The Pope died peacefully.”
Following his original diagnosis of bronchitis, Pope Francis was brought to the hospital on February 14, and it was later discovered that he had been diagnosed with dual pneumonia.
Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the leader of the Pope’s medical team, claims that the pope experienced two serious health crises between late February and early March.
Regarding the pope’s second medical crisis, Dr. Alfieri told the Italian daily Corriere della Sera in late March: “That evening was terrible. He knew, like us, that he might not survive the night. We saw the man who was suffering.”
Despite his delicate health state, Pope Francis performed a number of tasks during the last few days, taking to the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Easter Sunday.
“With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God.”
