Pope Francis Funeral Highlights: Pope Francis laid to rest at St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome after Vatican funeral ceremony

Pope Francis Funeral Highlights: The Catholic Church is breaking with recent tradition with prisoners and migrants expected to bury Pope Francis in St. Mary Major Basilica, near Rome's main train station, where a simple underground tomb awaits him.

by · The Indian Express · Join
Cardianal Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrel, right, as head of the papal household Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza put a seal on the coffin containing the body of late Pope Francis during the burial ceremony in St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome. (Photo: AP)

Pope Francis Funeral Highlights: The funeral mass for Pope Francis has ended, and his coffin has now arrived at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome’s Esquilino neighbourhood, which lies outside the Vatican, for burial on Saturday. The funeral was attended by a host of world leaders, including President Droupadi Murmu, US President Donald Trump, and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, among others. The open-air ceremony, which was co-celebrated by 220 cardinals, 750 bishops, and more than 4,000 other priests, lasted for 90 minutes.

The Pope’s burial: Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff to lead the Roman Catholic Church, passed away on April 21 following a prolonged illness and a battle with bilateral pneumonia. During his 12-year papacy, Francis struggled with several health issues. In his funeral today, the Pope is breaking with recent tradition with prisoners and migrants expected to bury him in St. Mary Major Basilica, near Rome’s main train station, where a simple underground tomb awaits him.

How is the next Pope chosen? With the pope’s death, the Catholic Church has entered a period of Sede Vacante — Latin for “the seat is vacant.” Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo or chamberlain of the Church, now leads the Vatican during this period. Appointed by Francis in 2019, Farrell is responsible for certifying the Pope’s death, sealing his private chambers, overseeing funeral rites, and organizing the conclave — the secretive election to choose a successor. Within 15 to 20 days, cardinals under the age of 80 will convene in the Sistine Chapel to vote. A two-thirds majority is needed to elect the next pope.

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