Pope Francis: Milwaukee Catholics celebrate memorial Mass

MILWAUKEE - The Archdiocese of Milwaukee celebrated a Mass for the Repose of the Soul for Pope Francis on Tuesday evening, April 29.

Local perspective:

Mass was held at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Archbishop Jeffrey Grob led the Mass, while Archbishop Emeritus Jerome Listecki concelebrated.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

"It's one thing to profess a faith, to recite a creed, it's quite another to live it," Grob said. "This is very much a part of living that. We gather together, we mourn, we offer prayers, we sing, we pray."

Pope Francis, 88, died on Easter Monday. He made history in 2013, becoming the first Latin American pontiff in more than a thousand years. He was known in his life for his dedication to the poor, and did not shy away from immigration, the environment or LGBTQ+ issues.

Archdiocese of Milwaukee Mass for the Repose of the Soul for Pope Francis

Big picture view:

The world said goodbye to Pope Francis on Saturday, five days after the pontiff died at 88 years old following a stroke. 

The funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Peter’s with a crowd of some 200,000 believers outside, assembled on the plaza. The homily reflected on the life and spirituality of the deceased pope. The current dean of the College of Cardinals, 91-year-old Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, presided over Francis’ funeral Mass. 

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

What's next:

A date has been set for the conclave to elect Pope Francis' successor, the Vatican announced early Monday. 

The secret voting was delayed for two days in order to help the Catholic cardinals get to know one another better and find consensus on a candidate before they are sequestered in the Sistine Chapel.

The conclave will begin on May 7, the Vatican announced on Monday.