Late Pope Francis to be buried in St. Mary Major, not Vatican; funeral set for April 26 with world leaders expected to attend
Vatican City, April 22:
The Vatican has officially announced that Pope Francis’ funeral will take place on Saturday, April 26 at 10:00 AM (local time) in St. Peter’s Square, with Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, presiding over the final rites.
The beloved 88-year-old pontiff, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, passed away on April 21 following complications from multimicrobial bilateral pneumonia, along with hypertension and Type II diabetes, as confirmed by the Vatican’s Directorate of Health and Hygiene.
🔔 Body to Lie in State at St. Peter’s from April 23
Pope Francis’s coffin will be transferred from the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, his Vatican residence, to St. Peter’s Basilica on April 23, where the faithful will have the opportunity to pay their respects.
The solemn rite of translation will begin at 9:00 AM with prayers led by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church. The procession will move through Santa Marta Square and the Square of the Roman Protomartyrs, entering St. Peter’s Basilica via the central door. There, a Liturgy of the Word will take place at the Altar of the Confession, before public visitation begins.
⚰️ A Simple Farewell and a Historic Resting Place
In accordance with his wishes, Pope Francis will not be buried in the Vatican, breaking from a century-long tradition. Instead, he will be laid to rest at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome—a first in over 100 years. He also requested a plain wooden coffin, foregoing the traditional triple caskets of cypress, lead, and oak.
Photos released by the Vatican show the Pope in repose—dressed in a red papal robe, white mitre, and holding a rosary, captured in the chapel where he spent his final days.
🌍 World Leaders Expected to Attend
Among the dignitaries expected at the funeral is former U.S. President Donald Trump, who announced via Truth Social:
“Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome. He was a very good man who loved the world—and especially those having a hard time. And that’s good with me.”
A global outpouring of grief continues, with thousands gathering daily in St. Peter’s Square, as the world bids farewell to one of the most reformative and compassionate Popes in modern history.