St. Peter’s Basilica

Bernini’s 100-foot-tall baldachin In St. Perter’s Basilica will be completely covered by metal scaffolding before Easter to allow a team of restorers to clean and repair the masterpiece.

Cardinal Pell died of a heart attack Jan. 10 at a Rome hospital after undergoing hip surgery. He was 81. His burial was scheduled for Feb. 2 at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney, where he had served as archbishop before Pope Francis chose him as prefect of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy.

After the funeral Mass, the coffin will be taken to St. Peter’s Basilica and then to the Vatican grotto for burial. It was widely reported before his death that his burial site would be in the chapel where St. John Paul II’s body rested until his beatification in 2011.

The 95-year-old pope’s remains will be in St. Peter’s Basilica beginning the morning of Jan. 2 for people to pay their last respects and offer their prayers. The funeral Mass, presided over by Pope Francis, will be in St. Peter’s Square Jan. 5 starting at 9:30 a.m. Rome time.

In the spotlight: Christmas around the world, polar plunge, COVID surge

The celebration of Christmas serves as a reminder that God did not reveal his greatness in a grand spectacle, but rather in the “littleness” of a poor, vulnerable child born in a stable in Bethlehem, Pope Francis said in his homily Dec. 24 as he celebrated the nighttime liturgy.

Almost 10 weeks after St. Peter’s Basilica was closed to the public in cooperation with Italy’s COVID-19 lockdown measures, the faithful and tourists were allowed back in May 18.

In preparation for the May 18 resumption of public liturgies atican workers cleaned and sanitized the inside of St. Peter’s Basilica May 15.