The funeral followed Foley's lying in state Thursday at the chapel of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, and Friday at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul. He was entombed in a crypt beneath the basilica's main altar, among 10 of the archdiocese's previous bishops and archbishops.
At 1:30 p.m., the bronze casket was closed and draped with a cream-and-gold pall. Minutes later, the priests and bishops began a solemn procession into the sanctuary.
Archbishop Edwin O'Brien, Foley's successor as grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, was the principal celebrant. "We offer this eucharist in thanks for the life of John Patrick," said O'Brien, adding that Foley's "zealous evangelizing presented Christ by word, deed, and example."
In 1984, after teaching philosophy at the seminary and editing the archdiocesan newspaper, Foley left Philadelphia to serve as first president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications at the Vatican. The council is charged with explaining church teachings on morality and social justice to electronic media.
In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him grand master of the Holy Sepulchre order, which raises funds for the care of Christian sites in the Holy Land.
Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, papal delegate to the United States, read a letter from Benedict expressing "heartfelt condolences" to the archdiocese and citing Foley's "distinguished service" to the Holy See.
Among the church leaders in attendance was Cardinal Justin Rigali, archbishop emeritus of Philadelphia, who retired in July. Active and retired cardinals from Boston, New York, Baltimore, Washington, and Rome were also present. Cardinal Anthony J. Bevilacqua, who preceded Rigali as archbishop and is in poor health, did not attend.
