Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, was the principal celebrant at the May 31 funeral Mass of Cardinal Angelo Sodano. Pope Francis also participated in the Mass, which took place in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Cardinal Sodano, the former Vatican Secretary of State (1991-2006) and Dean of the College of Cardinals (2005-2019), died on May 27 at the age of 94 after contracting Covid.

“In his long years of service to the Holy See, Cardinal Sodano firmly believed in Christ and followed Him faithfully, serving Him with love and dedication to the Church and His Vicar,” Cardinal Re preached. “In the nearly 16 years that he was the Pope’s first Collaborator, he worked with competence and dedication on behalf of peace.”