Vatican Announces Funeral and Public Viewing Details for Pope Francis

The Vatican has officially announced that the funeral for Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88, will be held on Saturday, April 26, at 10:00 a.m. local time in St. Peter’s Square. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside over the service. The funeral will include traditional rites such as the Ultima commendatio and the Valedictio.

In accordance with his wishes, Pope Francis will be buried at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, making him the first pope in over a century not to be interred in St. Peter’s Basilica. He had expressed a desire for a simple burial near the icon of the Virgin Mary, without ornate decoration and foregoing the traditional three coffins.

Public viewing will begin on Wednesday, April 23, when the Pope’s body is transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica to lie in state until the funeral. This allows the faithful to pay their final respects.

Pope Francis died peacefully at his residence in Casa Santa Marta due to a cerebral stroke leading to coma and cardiac collapse, compounded by prior health issues.

World leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are expected to attend the funeral.

Following the funeral, a traditional nine-day mourning period, known as Novemdiales, will be observed.

Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, is remembered for his humility, advocacy for the poor, and efforts toward environmental sustainability and church reforms.

For more information and updates, please refer to official Vatican communications and trusted news sources.