When And Where Is Pope Francis’s Funeral, Who Will Attend, And What Happens Next — Details

Pope Francis's funeral will be held in St Peter's Square, Vatican City. World leaders and thousands of mourners will be in attendance. The funeral will initiate nine days of mourning and prayers.

By : ABP Live News | Updated at : 25 Apr 2025 09:18 PM (IST)

Chennai: People pay last respects to Pope Francis, at the Catholic Church in Chennai, Monday, April 21, 2025. Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has died on Easter Monday at the age of 88.
Source : PTI

Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday morning at the age of 88, will be laid to rest in Rome on Saturday, 26 April. His funeral will draw world leaders, royalty, and thousands of mourners from across the globe, marking a significant moment for the Catholic Church and the world at large.

When and where is Pope Francis's funeral?

The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. local time in St Peter’s Square, Vatican City. In case of adverse weather, the service may be moved inside St Peter’s Basilica. The liturgy, formally called Missa poenitentialis, will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the college of cardinals.

Tens of thousands have already paid their respects to the late pope as his body lay in state in an open wooden coffin inside St Peter’s Basilica. By Friday morning, over 130,000 people had filed past to pay homage, The Guardian reported.

From Trump to Zelenskyy: Who's who of the world to attend Pope Francis's funeral

The Vatican Press Office confirmed that around 130 foreign delegations will be present, including approximately 50 heads of state and 10 reigning monarchs. 

US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania will attend, alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, UN Secretary General António Guterres, French President Emmanuel Macron, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who will be accompanied by Prince William.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Irish President Michael D Higgins and Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Polish President Andrzej Duda, and Portuguese leaders Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Luís Montenegro will also be in attendance.

From Latin America, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Argentine President Javier Milei—who had controversially referred to the pope in the past as a “communist”, an “imbecile”, and a “lefty son of a bitch”—are expected to attend. Mexico’s Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez will represent President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, whose country hosts one of the world’s largest Catholic populations, is also attending. Russia will be represented by Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova, as President Vladimir Putin remains under an international arrest warrant.

Leaders of opposition parties, such as Spain’s Alberto Núñez Feijóo and France’s far-right leader Jordan Bardella—who praised Francis’s “constant attention to the forgotten and the dignity of the most vulnerable”—will also be present.

President Droupadi Murmu is also in Vatican City to attend the ceremony. She paid homage to Pope Francis at the Saint Peter’s Basilica, accompanied by Minister Kiren Rijiju and George Kurian to pay respects.

What security measures are in place?

Security has been tightened significantly in Rome. According to The Guardian, over 2,000 police officers are deployed around the Vatican, supported by 400 traffic police to manage diplomatic convoys. Advanced defence measures including anti-drone systems, no-fly zones patrolled by fighter jets, and electronic jamming technologies have also been implemented.

Where will Pope Francis be buried?

Breaking from tradition, Pope Francis will be buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome’s Esquilino neighbourhood, rather than the grottoes beneath St Peter’s. The basilica, a Marian shrine housing a revered icon of the Virgin Mary, was a site of deep personal devotion for him.

“As I’ve always promised the Virgin, the place is already prepared. I want to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore because it’s my great devotion,” Francis had told Mexican television in 2022.

He requested a modest burial “in the ground, without particular decoration”, with only his papal name Franciscus inscribed.

What happens next?

The funeral will initiate the Novemdiales—nine days of mourning and prayers for the repose of Pope Francis’s soul. Attention will soon turn to the conclave, where 135 cardinal electors under the age of 80 will gather in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. The conclave typically begins within 15 to 20 days after a pope’s death.

Each round of voting will be followed by the traditional smoke signals—black for an inconclusive vote, and white to signal the election of a new pope—watched by the global Catholic community of 1.4 billion faithful.

Also read
Oath Of Secrecy, Smoke Signals, 'Habemus Papam' — Papal Conclave Step By Step

Pope Francis' Death: Here Are Some Of His Most Powerful Quotes — IN PICS

Published at : 25 Apr 2025 09:17 PM (IST)
Tags :
Vatican City Emmanuel Macron Donald Trump António Guterres Rome Volodymyr Zelenskyy Droupadi Murmu Giorgia Meloni Keir Starmer Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva Pope Francis Funeral

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