Seoul: The South Korean Catholic Church is preparing to send a three-member delegation to the Vatican for the funeral Mass of Pope Francis, as announced by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea (CBCK) on Tuesday. The delegation will include Bishop Mathias Lee Yong-hoon, president of the CBCK, Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, former archbishop of Seoul, and Lim Min-kyun, director of the CBCK's public relations department.
According to Yonhap News Agency, while papal funerals are traditionally held in St. Peter's Square, the Vatican has not yet confirmed the date or location of the ceremony. Church officials have stated that the decision to send a small delegation aligns with the late pontiff's wishes for a modest funeral. The CBCK has decided not to hold an official national memorial Mass, allowing individual dioceses to conduct memorial Masses at their discretion.
Memorial altars have been established at the Apostolic Nunciature in Seoul and in the underground chapel of Myeongdong Cathedral, where the public can pay tribute to the late pope. After a private prayer session by Catholic leaders, including Cardinal Yeom and Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick of the Seoul Archdiocese, at the Myeongdong Cathedral altar, the general public was invited to pay their respects starting at 3 p.m.
Church officials, senior members of the CBCK, and government figures are expected to visit the altar in the coming days. The public access to the altars will align with the official Vatican funeral schedule once it is announced, as per the Archdiocese of Seoul. Pope Francis passed away on Monday at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta.