Pope Francis was laid to rest on Saturday following a funeral Mass attended by over 250,000 mourners and more than 130 world leaders, just days after his death from a stroke and heart failure at the age of 88. The service, broadcast live to the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics, marked a historic farewell. Francis had appeared with worshippers at St. Peter’s Square just one day before his passing on Easter Monday.
After three days lying in state at St. Peter’s Basilica, his simple wooden coffin was carried into St. Peter’s Square under a warm, clear sky. As the bells of the basilica rang out, attendees filled the square for the two-hour Mass, which began at 10 a.m. local time.
Among those present were U.S. President Donald Trump, former President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Prince William, French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Atop Pope Francis’ closed coffin rested an open Book of the Gospels. The funeral featured multiple prayers and music largely in plainchant, with priests and cardinals distributing Holy Communion among the congregation. The choir performed Psalm 129 in Latin, beginning with the line, “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice!”
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, led the Eucharistic Prayer and delivered a homily, praising Francis as a “pope among the people” with a heart open to everyone. He highlighted Francis’ compassion for refugees, his focus on the poor, and his commitment to peace, especially in conflict zones such as Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan.
“With his constant call for dialogue and negotiation, Pope Francis always sought peaceful solutions, warning of the destruction and human cost of war,” Re said. He concluded by asking the late pope, who often ended his own addresses by asking for prayers, to now pray for humanity: “Bless the Church, bless Rome, and bless the world.”
Following the service, the coffin was transported in the white popemobile across the River Tiber to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, where around 150,000 people lined the route. Once there, pallbearers carried the coffin inside for a brief private ceremony. Francis, whose papal name honored St. Francis of Assisi, was interred at the basilica—a site he frequently visited during his papacy, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A group of the poor and needy were specially invited to pay their respects before burial, underscoring Francis’ lifelong commitment to the marginalized. Notably, he became the first pope in over a century to be buried outside the Vatican.
With his funeral concluded, nine days of official mourning commenced. Next, the College of Cardinals—252 members strong, with a majority appointed by Francis—will meet to begin the secretive process of electing the next pope.
