Vila Belmiro receives final preparations for Pelé’s funeral

This Saturday (31) Santos opened the gates of Vila Belmiro for the latest records of the structure being set up for Pelé’s wake. The ceremony will be open to the public on Monday (2), from 10 am (Brasília time).

Dozens of journalists from all over the country, in addition to international news agencies, were able to see for an hour the work of professionals in the sector where the captive chairs are located, accessed on days of the club’s games through gate 16.

The site is still receiving preparations for the ceremony, but most of the structure is already installed. During the period, chairs and platforms were positioned in the stadium.

On the chairs for members, in the center of the upper bleachers, two banners were hung: “Viva o Rei” and “Pelé 82 years old”, with the image of Pelé wearing the club’s number 10 shirt.

On the lawn it is possible to see two tents set up: a smaller one, which will be destined to family members and club idols, with approximately 100 seats, and another one for authorities and guests.

The wake will continue uninterruptedly until 10 am on Tuesday (3) when there will be a funeral procession to the house where Celeste Arantes, Pelé’s mother, lives, on channel 6.

After that, the procession goes to the Ecumenical Necropolis Memorial Cemetery. Arrival is expected around 12 pm (from Brasilia), with the burial ceremony at 2 pm.

In the smaller tent, the main one, the coffin with the body of the King of Football will be positioned in the center, between chairs. The platforms on both sides outside the tent will be used for the passage of fans, on one side, and guests, on the other. They will enter and exit through different gates.

With regard to the presence of authorities, it is speculated that several names will be invited to enter the main tent, depending only on the approval of the family.

For Pelé fans, access is through gates 2 and 3 of Vila Belmiro. They will follow in single file, on a ready and monitored route, and then leave through gates 7 and 8. The estimated stay inside the venue is up to ten minutes.

Like the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in the United Kingdom, people will not be able to stop.

The entire ceremony must take place in a sealed coffin, with strict security protocol.

At gate 10, the Marble Hall, there will be members of the club’s Deliberative Council, politicians and other guests.

At gate 20, journalists will be positioned, who will need to go through prior accreditation to cover the wake.

Possible interviews and contact with distinguished figures present will only take place outside the stadium’s premises.

Santos also does not talk about the arrival time of the body of the club’s greatest idol on Monday and explains that it is only helping in the ceremony, organized by the family

Recently, at Sheetthe press office of the Memorial cemetery denied information about a possible golden coffin for the King of Football.

The former player’s family agreed with the local administration’s suggestion, and the body will be placed in a mausoleum on the first floor of the building.

The change will transform the place into a kind of new tourist spot in Santos, on the coast of São Paulo, with visits open to the public a few days after the ceremony.