Catholics across the Tri-State are joining in worldwide remembrances of Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday. He was 88.
"As we commend a good and faithful servant to God, let us remember that Pope Francis proclaimed 2025 as a Jubilee Year of Hope 鈥� awakening us to Christ, who is alive and present in our midst," said the Most Reverend Robert G. Casey, Archbishop of Cincinnati, in a statement.
Churches may hang black bunting around the exterior doors of churches through the time of the funeral. The Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains has set up a memorial inside the cathedral and mourners are welcome to come and pray, the archdiocese says.
A Mass for Francis may be planned after Octave of Easter concludes.
Francis 鈥� born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina 鈥� was the first non-European head of the Roman Catholic Church in more than a millennium, the first pope from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first Jesuit pope. He was elected pope on March 13, 2013, following the surprise resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, who .
Former Cincinnati Archbishop Dennis Schnurr encouraged people to pray for Francis' soul.
"The Holy Father will long be remembered for his great compassion for the elderly, the sick, the unborn, the persecuted and all those on the margins of society. He continuously reminded us that we are the stewards of God's creation and not its master. And he was an unwavering champion of world peace. After a life dedicated to proclaiming the Good News of our Lord鈥檚 saving love for us, may Pope Francis now inherit the reward of eternal rest with God," he wrote in the archdiocese's release.
The Covington Diocese is instructing churches to toll their bells for 10 minutes, beginning at 3 p.m. Monday to announce the pope's death. The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington and other churches will be draped in black and/or purple bunting as a sign of mourning.
A pontifical stational Mass will be offered Tuesday, April 22 at 7 p.m. at the Cathedral Basilica.
Covington Bishop John Iffert said Francis profoundly shaped the church.
鈥淗is papacy, which began March 13, 2013, is marked by a deep commitment to mercy, social justice and a renewed focus on the pastoral care of the faithful. As the Church continues to navigate the complexities of modern society, the principles laid out by Pope Francis will remain vital in fostering a world that truly reflects the love and mercy of Christ. Please join me, the priests and people of the Diocese of Covington and Catholics throughout the world in praying for the repose of Pope Francis.鈥�
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