Tens of thousands to pray for Pope Francis at Mass in Dubai on day of funeral

Follow the Pope's funeral here

Mass will be held to pray for Pope Francis on Saturday evening at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Dubai, which will be open to all.

It will be led by Bishop Paolo Martinelli, the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, at 7.30pm at St Mary’s, one of the country’s oldest parishes, where more than 40,000 people are expected to gather during the day.

It will offer worshippers an opportunity to reflect on the life and celebrate the legacy of Pope Francis on the day of funeral.

Saturday's gathering is in addition to daily prayers being held at St Joseph’s, St Paul’s and St John the Baptist Church in Abu Dhabi, St Mary’s Church in Al Ain, St Mary’s and St Francis of Assisi in Dubai, St Michel’s in Sharjah and St Anthony in Ras Al Khaimah.

A book of commemoration will be placed from Thursday at St Joseph’s Cathedral in Abu Dhabi for people to record their memories of the 88-year-old Pope Francis, who died on Monday from a stroke and heart failure after battling a severe respiratory infection.

“The bishop has asked all parishes to offer Mass and invite all people to pray for Pope Francis,” Fr Darick D’Souza, secretary to the bishop, told The National.

A senior Catholic leader will hold Mass on Thursday at 7pm at the St Francis Church at the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi. This will be open primarily to the diplomatic corps and members of the public who register for the service. Mass will be led by Archbishop Christophe El Kassis, the Apostolic Nuncio to the UAE, or the ambassador of the Vatican in the UAE.

“We will also place a condolence book from Thursday onwards at St Joseph’s so people can share their thoughts,” Fr D’souza said.

“The Mass on Saturday in Dubai is open to all and we expect many people to come to the church to pray for the Pope as he was loved by all.”

The condolence book will be placed at a prayer corner created at St Joseph’s, with a photograph of a smiling Pope Francis surrounded by flowers.

The faithful have been praying in UAE churches for eternal peace for the late Pope, who became the first Roman Catholic leader to visit the Gulf when he held a Mass in Abu Dhabi in 2019.

“So many have their own special stories of Pope Francis that give them joy,” said Fr D’souza, who is also a priest at St Joseph’s in Abu Dhabi. “The Pope truly cared about people, enjoyed being among them, shaking their hand.”

Prayers for Pope Francis - in pictures

At churches in the UAE, worshippers were overcome with tears as they shared the hope and strength they drew from the Pontiff’s speeches. They also relived the experience of being at the stadium in Abu Dhabi to watch him lead the Mass six years ago.

Last respects

Bishop Martinelli has asked people to pray for Pope Francis over the coming days. At a service late on Monday in Abu Dhabi, he spoke of how Pope Francis, despite his frail health, passed through Rome's St Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday to greet people for the last time.

“We are all saddened by his death,” the bishop said in his message. “His pontificate from March 13, 2013, has been extraordinarily rich in prophetic gestures, significant encounters and a deep teaching that has faced the key challenges of our time.

“He showed his closeness to everyone, to the poor, to prisoners, to the sick; he had promoted everyday peace among those who are divided and in war.”

The Vatican has announced that people can pay their respects to the Pope on Wednesday at St Peter’s Basilica after his casket is taken in a procession from the Vatican guesthouse in which he lived.

The funeral ceremony will be on Saturday at 10am (noon UAE) at St Peter’s Square. This will be followed by nine days of mourning and Mass.

In his final will, Pope Francis stated he wanted to be buried at the St Mary Major Basilica in Rome, outside of the Vatican.

In a tradition dating back centuries, more than 100 cardinals under the age of 80 will vote for a papal successor in the Sistine Chapel in a secret ballot known as conclave