Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, left, prays in front of the body of Pope Francis laid out in state inside his private chapel at the Vatican.
| Photo Credit: AP
Pope Francis’s funeral will be held on Saturday (April 26, 2025), as many world leaders will attend to honour the Catholic leader. The Argentine pontiff, 88, died on Monday (April 21, 2025) after a stroke, less than a month after returning home from five weeks in hospital battling double pneumonia.
Here’s what we know about the funeral of Pope Francis.
When is the funeral of Pope Francis?
Pope Francis’ funeral, which is expected to draw huge crowds, will take place at 10:00 am local time (1.30 pm IST) on April 26. The funeral date was set by cardinals meeting in a so-called “general congregation”, the first of a series of meetings which will culminate in a conclave within three weeks, where a new pope will be elected.
Also read | Many firsts of Pope Francis
Where will the funeral of Pope Francis be held?
The funeral of Pope Francis will be held in the majestic Baroque plaza in front of St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, six days after his death.
Where will Pope Francis be buried?
Pope Francis has asked to be buried in St Mary Major, a Roman basilica he was particularly attached to, rather than St Peter’s like many of his predecessors, with a simple inscription of his name in Latin, Franciscus. In his will, Pope Francis called for his tomb to be “in the ground; simple, without particular decoration, and with the sole inscription: Franciscus,’’ or Latin for Francis.
Where is Pope Francis’ body now?
Pope Francis is currently lying in state in the Santa Marta Domus in a private viewing for Vatican residents and the papal household. His body, lying in an open casket, will be taken from the chapel of the Vatican residence where he lived to St Peter’s, entering through the central door, in a grand procession on April 23, with cardinals and Latin chants. His body will lie in state for three days.
Once in St. Peter’s, his casket will not be put on an elevated bier — as was the case with past popes — but will just be placed simply facing the pews, with the Paschal candle nearby. Tens of thousands of mourners are expected to pay their respects to Pope Francis as he lies in state in St. Peter’s Basilica.
People gather in St Peter’s Square on the day of the translation of Pope Francis’ body, which will be transported inside the Basilica, at the Vatican.
| Photo Credit:
Reuters
Who will attend Pope Francis’ funeral?
Numerous world leaders have announced they will travel to Rome for Pope Francis’s funeral, which is expected to draw a huge crowd in the square in front of St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, will attend. Mr. Trump said in a social media post: “We look forward to being there!”
President Javier Milei of Argentina, where the pope was born in 1936, will attend, his office said. Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will attend with his wife Janja, his government said.
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres will attend the funeral, his office said.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer will attend, and Prince William will also go to represent the head of state, King Charles III.
French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ireland’s President Michael Higgins, Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever, and Hungary’s President Tamas Sulyok will also attend the funeral among other European leaders.
From India, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has announced that Minister for Minorities Welfare and Non Resident Tamils Welfare S.M. Nasar, along with DMK MLA from Tiruchi (East) Inigo.S. Irudayaraj, will attend the funeral service of Pope Francis, on behalf of Tamil Nadu government.
Who won’t attend Pope Francis’ funeral?
Russian leader Vladimir Putin, who is subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over his invasion of Ukraine, will not attend the funeral of Pope Francis, the Kremlin said.
The Netherlands’ King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima — who also has Argentine nationality — will not make the trip due to the king’s birthday celebrations despite being “deeply moved” by Francis’s passing, the royal family said.
When will the next successor of Pope Francis be decided?
The cardinals haven’t set a date for the conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor, but the current norms suggest it cannot begin before May 6. There is no clear frontrunner to succeed Francis, although British bookmakers have singled out Luis Antonio Tagle, a reformer from the Philippines, and Pietro Parolin, from Italy, as early favourites.
In the meantime, in the period known as the “sede vacante” (vacant seat) for the global Catholic Church, a cardinal known as the camerlengo (chamberlain), Irish-American Kevin Farrell, is in charge of ordinary affairs. Three cardinals were chosen to help the camerlengo, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, administer the Vatican during the “interregnum” period before the election of a new pope.
Published – April 23, 2025 01:11 pm IST
