Pope Francis has sent his condolences to Australian Catholics on the death of the former archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal Edward Clancy.
In a message sent to Bishop Peter Comensoli, the apostolic adminstrator of the Archdiocese of Sydney, Pope Francis said he was saddened to learn of Cardinal Clancy's death and offered his "heartfelt condolences, together with the assurance of my prayers".
"I join you in commending the late cardinal's soul to God the Father of mercies, with gratitude for his years of episcopal ministry and his wise pastoral leadership in the Archdiocese of Sydney," the pope said.
He said this was reflected in the cardinal's "concern for the poor, his support for Catholic education and his broad ecumenical and civic mission".
"To all present at the Mass of Christian burial and to all who mourn Cardinal Clancy in the hope of the Resurrection, I cordially impart my apostolic blessing as a pledge of strength and consolation in the Lord."
The funeral Mass will be held at 10am in St Mary's Cathedral on Saturday, preceded by a Vigil Mass there for him at 7.30pm on Friday.
His body is to be received into the cathedral at 2pm on Thursday and will lie in state until the conclusion of Saturday's Mass.
It will then be carried to the cathedral crypt and interred there near the remains of his predecessor archbishops of Sydney and pioneer priests of Australia.
Cardinal Clancy, the seventh archbishop of Sydney, died on Sunday at the age of 90 after many years of illness.
He served as archbishop between 1983 and 2001 when he was succeeded by the then Archbishop George Pell of Melbourne.
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