PHOTOS: Richmond prays for Pope Francis ahead of his funeral

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- On the night before the late Pope Francis' funeral, mourners attended a special evening prayer at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Richmond to honor his life.

At 6 p.m. on Friday, April 25, Bishop Barry C. Knestout led a "Vespers," or evening prayer, in remembrance of Pope Francis, who died at 88 the day after Easter.

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The Vespers celebration was part of a diocesan-wide wake ahead of Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday, April 26, according to a press release from the Catholic Diocese of Richmond.

Knestout focused on the concept of hope throughout the service, largely using the words of Pope Francis, himself.

"He says, 'We are all aware that no one escapes the mystery of death, and that the multiple questions that arise from this event cannot but call into question that virtue, which more than any other, allows every man and woman to look beyond the human limit,'" Knestout said.

April 25 Vespers, or evening prayer, held for Pope Francis the night before his funeral at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Richmond. (Photo: Jakobi Davis/8News)

Pope Francis' funeral proceedings will begin at 10 a.m. GMT+2 -- or 4 a.m. EST, for Central Virginians -- at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican City.