Pope Francis to preside over George Pell funeral at Vatican

Cardinal George Pell’s funeral will be held on Saturday at Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, with Pope Francis presiding over the commendation and the ­valediction.

Pope Francis at his weekly general audience in the Vatican on Wednesday. Picture: AFP

Cardinal George Pell’s funeral will be held on Saturday at Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, with Pope Francis presiding over the commendation and the ­valediction. The Holy See announced the funeral would be held at 11.30am (9.30pm AEDT)

The funeral liturgy will be celebrated by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, together with the cardinals, archbishops and bishops.

“At the end of the Eucharistic celebration, the Holy Father Francis will preside over the rites of Ultima Commendatio and Valedictio,” the Holy See said.

Cardinal Pell’s body is then expected to be returned to Sydney, where he will be buried in the crypt below St Mary’s Cathedral.

There had been initial plans to hold the funeral on Friday, but this was after the Catholic Church in Australia advised that any attendees from Australia would struggle to make it on time.

Despite ill-health, Francis, 86, will undertake a similar role to that he played in the funeral of Emeritus Pope Benedict this month by presiding over the proceedings, a Vatican source said.

At Benedict’s funeral, Francis delivered the homily, and gave a deeply personal blessing.

On Thursday, Francis sent a telegram of condolence to Cardinal Battista Re saying he learned “with sorrow” of the death of Cardinal Pell. “I wish to express my closeness to you and to the College of Cardinals, especially to his dear brother David and the other members of his family,’’ he wrote.

“I offer my sincere condolences, remembering with heartfelt gratitude his consistent and committed witness, his dedication to the gospel and to the church and especially his diligent collaboration with the Holy See in its recent economic reform for which he laid the foundations with determination and wisdom.”

Cardinal Pell, 81, was prefect emeritus of the Secretariat for the Economy when he died on Tuesday night (local time) from heart complications following hip surgery in a Rome hospital.

Francis summoned Cardinal Pell to in 2014 to clean up the Vatican finances, which had been mired in scandal and corruption. But Cardinal Pell returned to Australia to face child sexual abuse allegations, for which he was found guilty in the Victorian County Court in December 2018. On appeal the High Court quashed the conviction, ordering his immediate release from jail, and he returned to the Vatican.

Francis said on Thursday: “I raise prayers for the repose of this faithful servant who unwaveringly followed his Lord with perseverance even in the hour of trial, that he may be received into the joy of heaven and receive eternal peace. I send my blessing to you, to the family of the late cardinal and to all who share in the mourning of his passing.”