VATICAN CITY (RNS) The Vatican’s No. 2 official will preside over a funeral for earthquake victims in central Italy on Friday (Apr. 10), and Pope Benedict XVI will visit the affected area sometime after Easter.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who as Vatican Secretary of State is the second-highest official in the Catholic Church, will preside over the funeral Mass in the city of L’Aquila, about 70 miles east of Rome. Personally representing the pope at the Mass will be Benedict’s private secretary, Monsignor Georg Ganswein, the Vatican announced on Thursday (Apr. 9).

The ceremony will take place under a special dispensation from the Vatican, since Catholic Masses are ordinarily not celebrated on Good Friday, when a special liturgy is used to commemorate the death of Jesus Christ.

A 6.3-magnitude earthquake, which struck early Monday (Apr. 6), has killed at least 279, left tens of thousand homeless, and damaged historic churches and artworks in medieval L’Aquila and nearby. Friday’s funeral will be held outdoors as a precaution against aftershocks.

At his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday (Apr. 8), Benedict told the earthquake victims: “I hope to come and visit you as soon as possible.” The Vatican has said a papal visit is being planned for after Easter, in order not to disrupt rescue and relief operations.

Benedict celebrated the annual Maundy Thursday Chrism Mass on Thursday morning in St. Peter’s Basilica, when he consecrated holy oil for use in baptisms and confirmations during the year. Since L’Aquila’s archbishop was unable to perform the same rite this year, Benedict announced that he had personally consecrated oil for use in the earthquake-stricken diocese.