Pope Francis’ funeral will be held on Saturday, April 26. The funeral date was confirmed during the first “general congregation” of cardinals on Tuesday morning, marking the beginning of the traditional process to elect a new pope within three weeks.
World leaders and royalty are expected to attend the funeral. U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron were the first to announce their attendance, even before the official date was confirmed.
On Tuesday, a source from the Ukrainian presidency confirmed that President Volodymyr Zelensky would also travel to Rome for the funeral.
The funeral, which is expected to draw massive crowds, will take place at 10:00 a.m. (08:00 GMT) in the square outside St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.
The 88-year-old Argentine-born pontiff died on Monday following a stroke, just weeks after being discharged from the hospital where he had spent five weeks battling double pneumonia.
On Monday evening, Pope Francis’ body was moved to the chapel at Santa Marta, and his Vatican apartment was formally sealed, as confirmed by Vatican officials.
Francis, who wore plain robes and eschewed the luxury of his predecessors, has opted for a simple tomb, unadorned except for his name in Latin, Franciscus, according to his will, released Monday.
In choosing to be buried in Rome’s Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, he will become the first Pope in more than 100 years to be laid to rest outside the Vatican.
Tributes have continued to pour in from around the world for Pope Francis, a progressive reformer who became pontiff in 2013 following the resignation of his predecessor, German theologian Benedict XVI.
Argentina, the Pope’s home country, has declared a week of national mourning in his honour. Meanwhile, India began three days of state mourning yesterday — a rare tribute for a foreign religious figure in the world’s most populous nation.
Argentine football great, Lionel Messi, hailed his compatriot (himself a huge fan of the beautiful game) for “making the world a better place.”
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On Monday evening, thousands of faithful, some bringing flowers or candles, flocked to St. Peter’s Square at sunset to pray for Francis.
Born Jorge Bergoglio, Pope Francis made history as the first Pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit to lead the global Catholic Church.
Known for his energy and drive for reform, Francis worked to make the Church more inclusive and accessible, winning widespread popularity, though his progressive views also met strong resistance from within the Church.
During his 12-year papacy, he was a passionate advocate for the rights of migrants, environmental protection, and social justice. However, he maintained the Church’s traditional positions on issues like abortion and priestly celibacy.
Francis was outspoken and determined. He pushed for reforms in the governance of the Holy See, promoted greater involvement of women and laypeople in church leadership, and took steps to bring transparency to the Vatican’s often-criticised finances.
In response to mounting revelations of child sex abuse within the Church, he abolished the rule of pontifical secrecy and made it mandatory for clergy and laypeople to report abuse to their superiors.
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