Novendiale
The novendiale is the nine days of mourning after the death of the Pope .
The time of the papal burial is determined by the General Congregation, the assembly of cardinals during the Sedis vacancy . This is laid down in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici gregis , nos. 13 and 27, of Pope John Paul II . Then the novendiale begins. During this time special services are held in St. Peter's Basilica .
Various groups hold masses for the deceased Pope. With John Paul II these celebrations were entrusted to several cardinals after the funeral. The groups were the faithful of Vatican City , the Church of Rome , the Patriarchal Basilicas , the Papal Chapel, the Curia , the Eastern Churches and the Institutes of Consecrated Life.
On the last day the celebration is held by all the cardinals who have already gathered for the election of the Pope.
For the ancient Romans , the novendiale was the nine days of mourning after the death of a person. The ninth day was called coena novendialis (see Tacitus , Annales , 6, 5, 1 and Petronius , Satyricon , 65). On this day, sacrifices were made to the dead mans .
Web links
- Mourning the Pope. In: The See of Peter. EWTN , accessed January 15, 2018 .