The final funeral rites for Pope Francis began on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at 10:00 AM in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City, drawing over 200,000 mourners, including world leaders such as U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old Dean of the College of Cardinals, is presiding over the Solemn Requiem Mass, which is being broadcast live on the Vatican’s YouTube channel, Facebook, and other platforms, as announced by Vatican News.
Pope Francis, who d on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at age 88 from a stroke, coma, and heart failure, requested a simpler funeral in line with his view of the papacy as a humble pastoral role. His wooden coffin, a departure from the traditional three-coffin system, was carried into St. Peter’s Square to applause, marking a poignant farewell to the pontiff who led the Catholic Church for 12 years. The Mass, attended by 220 cardinals, 750 bishops, and over 4,000 priests, includes prayers in multiple languages and music by the Sistine Chapel Choir.
Following the Mass, Francis’ coffin will be transported to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, approximately four miles from the Vatican, for burial in the Pauline Chapel, home to the revered icon of Maria Salus Populi Romani. This choice reflects his deep devotion to the basilica, where he prayed before and after international trips, and his wish to be interred outside the Vatican, a break from tradition not seen in over a century. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican’s camerlengo, will preside over the burial rite.
The ceremony marks the start of the Novemdiales, nine days of mourning with daily Masses, the next led by Cardinal Pietro Parolin on April 27. Francis’ death, after recurring health issues since February 14, 2025, has prompted global tributes, with his legacy as a “pope of the people” highlighted in Cardinal Re’s homily, which recalled his outreach to refugees and the marginalized.
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Can we discuss how the funeral Mass impacted world leaders attendance? Its intriguing how different countries showed their respects.
Wow, did anyone notice the diverse representation at the funeral mass? So cool to see different cultures coming together.
I cant believe how many people showed up for the funeral. Do you think its just out of respect or for the spectacle?
Isnt it fascinating how people from all over the world come together for such a significant event? Unity in diversity at its finest! #PopeFrancisFuneral