Pope Francis’ funeral will be held next Saturday, April 26, at 10:00 a.m. (08:00 GMT) in St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican officially announced. The ceremony will be presided over by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, and will be attended by heads of state and official delegations from around the world.
Following the Mass, the coffin will be transferred to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, where he will be buried according to his own wishes, as outlined in his will. Pope Francis passed away on Monday at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke. His body currently lies in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence, where he had lived.
This Wednesday, starting at 9:00 a.m. (07:00 GMT), his body will be taken in procession to St. Peter’s Basilica. The procession will be accompanied by a brief prayer ceremony led by the Camerlengo, Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell. The route will pass through Santa Marta Square, the Square of the Roman Protomartyrs, and the Arch of the Bells before arriving at the central square of the Vatican and entering the basilica through the main entrance.
Once inside, the body will be placed beneath the Baldachin of the Altar of the Confession. Cardinal Farrell will preside over a Liturgy of the Word, after which the public will be allowed to pay their final respects in a lying-in-state.
In accordance with his instructions, Francis will be laid to rest in a single wooden coffin with a zinc interior, without a papal staff or catafalque—breaking with the tradition of using three coffins (cypress, lead, and oak) in previous papal burials. These wishes were detailed in the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis.
The Pope also requested that his tomb be simple and unadorned, located in a side nave of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, between the Pauline Chapel — home to the Salus Populi Romani icon — and the Sforza Chapel. His resting place will bear only his name in Latin: Franciscus. This will make him the first pope in over a century to be buried outside of the Vatican, near the Marian icon he often visited before and after apostolic journeys.
News of his death sparked mourning around the world. In Argentina, his homeland, the government declared a week of national mourning. India announced three days of official mourning — a rare gesture for a foreign religious leader.
Thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square to bid farewell. Among them was Mateo Rey, a 22-year-old Mexican student, who said: “He tried to make people understand that your sexual orientation or race doesn’t matter. That doesn’t matter in God’s eyes.”
Messages of respect poured in from around the globe. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his “deep respect” for the Pope’s legacy. In Brazil, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva described him as “a figure of peace” and praised his dedication to the most vulnerable.
Even the sports world paid tribute. Lionel Messi shared a message on social media thanking the Pope for “making the world a better place.”
In Buenos Aires, the Metropolitan Cathedral held a memorial Mass and opened books of condolences. Services and tributes were also organized in other cities across the country.
