Requiem Mass at Cathedral Church today evening
Catholic institutions to be closed on funeral day
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, April 21: Meghalaya is in mourning following the passing of Holy Father Pope Francis, the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church. The Archdiocese of Shillong has announced a solemn Requiem Mass to be held on Tuesday at 5:30 pm at the Cathedral Church here, as the faithful prepare to bid farewell to a spiritual leader remembered for his compassion, humility, and global influence.
The Archbishop of Shillong, Most Rev. Victor Lyngdoh, described the Pope’s demise as a profound loss not only for the Church but for the entire world. In honour of the late Pope, a series of directives have been issued for priests and lay faithful, including closure of Catholic institutions on the day of the funeral and special liturgical observances across the Archdiocese.
Pope Francis, history’s first Latin American pontiff who charmed the world with his humble style and concern for the poor but alienated conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change, died Monday. He was 88.
Bells tolled in church towers across Rome after the announcement, which was read out by Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, from the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta, where Francis lived.
“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,” Ferrell said.
Francis, who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, was admitted to Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14, 2025, for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia. He spent 38 days there, the longest hospitalisation of his 12-year papacy.
But he emerged on Easter Sunday — a day before his death — to bless thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square and treat them to a surprise popemobile romp through the piazza, drawing wild cheers and applause.
From his first greeting as pope — a remarkably normal “Buonasera” (“Good evening”) — to his embrace of refugees and the downtrodden, Francis signaled a very different tone for the papacy, stressing humility over hubris for a Catholic Church beset by scandal and accusations of indifference.
After that rainy night on March 13, 2013, the Argentine-born Jorge Mario Bergoglio brought a breath of fresh air into a 2,000-year-old institution that had seen its influence wane during the troubled tenure of Pope Benedict XVI, whose surprise resignation led to Francis’ election.
But Francis soon invited troubles of his own, and conservatives grew increasingly upset with his progressive bent, outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics and crackdown on traditionalists. His greatest test came in 2018 when he botched a notorious case of clergy sexual abuse in Chile, and the scandal that festered under his predecessors erupted anew on his watch.
And then Francis, the crowd-loving, globe-trotting pope of the peripheries, navigated the unprecedented reality of leading a universal religion through the coronavirus pandemic from a locked-down Vatican City.
He implored the world to use COVID-19 as an opportunity to rethink the economic and political framework that he said had turned rich against poor.
Calling him a true shepherd of God’s people, a champion for the cause of the poor and the marginalised, Archbishop Lyngdoh said the Pope led with spiritual wisdom, paternal love, humility and openness, always seeking to promote communion and good will among all peoples. “His compassion for the poor, the least and the last and especially for those on the peripheries, such as the migrants and refugees, gained worldwide recognition. His love and care for Mother Earth, expressed in his Encyclical Letter, ‘Laudato Si’, has become a global movement. The Jubilee Year of Hope declared by him and now in progress is inspiring many to turn to the loving mercy of God,” Lyngdoh said.
Liturgical observances
According to the Archbishop’s guidelines, all Catholic educational institutions will remain closed on the day of the funeral, while emphasising that it be done with proper information to the Education department.
Church bell should be tolled in all the Parishes in the evening, a portrait of the deceased Pope may be displayed in all the churches and premises of the institutions.
Masses should be offered in all the parishes and religious institutions for the Holy Father.
The Archbishop drew special attention to the phrase referring to the Pope, including his name, asking for it to be omitted from the Eucharistic Prayer during the period of “sede vacante” (the vacant see). “The mention of the Pope’s name is omitted and only the local bishop’s name is to be mentioned in the Eucharistic prayer. This practice is observed until the new Pope is elected and is installed,” the Archbishop said.
Prayers should be included in the prayer of the faithful at all masses.
As a mark of respect for the Holy Father, he urged the faithful to refrain from holding any celebrations during the period of mourning.
His Papacy will be remembered, cherished: CM
Condoling the demise of Pope Francis, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said his life embodied humility, love, and compassion, which have inspired countless souls. “I am deeply saddened by the demise of His Holiness Pope Francis. As the Head of the Roman Catholic Church, the Pope led by example,” Sangma said in a post on X.
“He was truly a People’s Pope, and his life embodied humility, love, and compassion, which has inspired countless souls. His Papacy will be remembered and cherished as he advocated for peace across the world,” he added.
Sangma also recalled his meeting with the Pope in December 2022. “Today, we have lost the Shepherd of the Church, a Global Leader, and the People’s Pope. But his life will be an inspiration to all of us. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” he said.
State BJP expresses grief
The state BJP also mourned the death of the Pope. “Meghalaya BJP expresses its profound grief at the passing of Pope Francis and stands in solidarity with the Global Church, as well as with people of the state, a vast majority of whom are Christian, in this moment of grief,” the party’s state president Rikman G Momin said in a statement.
He said the Pope’s universal message of love continues to act as a beacon for people across all faiths. (With agency inputs)
What to know
Timing of Pope’s death: The death of Francis was announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Irish-born Vatican camerlengo, a position that will be important in the coming weeks as he takes charge of the administration of the Holy See until a new pope is elected.
A final farewell on Easter Sunday: Francis made his final public appearance a day earlier on Easter Sunday, though he had delegated the celebration of the Easter Mass to another cardinal. He blessed a crowd of faithful from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica. “Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter,” he said from the same loggia where Jorge Mario Bergoglio was introduced to the world on March 13, 2013 as the 266th pope. Francis also made a surprise ride in the square in his popemobile, drawing wild cheers and applause.
Reactions & global mourning: Even before the great bells of St. Peter’s Basilica began tolling to mark Francis’ death, messages of tribute began pouring in from across the world. (See P-7, P-9, P-10) Catholic and non-Catholic leaders alike honoured a spiritual leader who was a voice for the marginalised and the weak, for migrants and LGBTQ+ people, and who showed concern for nature.
The Pope’s last months, and final day: Francis, who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, was admitted to Gemelli hospital in Rome on February 14, 2025, for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia. He spent 38 days there, the longest hospitalisation of his papacy. For the faithful, those were weeks of fear that his illness could be fatal or lead to another papal resignation after that of Pope Benedict XVI, a surprise move that led to the election of Francis. The pontiff’s return to the Vatican on March 23 brought relief to many at the time.
Mourning, funeral and then a conclave: Francis’ death now sets off the process of allowing the faithful to pay their final respects, first for Vatican officials in the Santa Marta chapel and then in St. Peter’s for the general public. A precise sequence of events will include the confirmation of death in the pontiff’s home, the transfer of the coffin to St. Peter’s Basilica for public viewing, a funeral Mass and burial. The dates haven’t been announced yet, but the burial must take place between the fourth and sixth day after his death. After the funeral, there are nine days of official mourning, known as the “novendiali.” During this period, cardinals arrive in Rome to participate in a conclave to elect the next pope.