GUWAHATI: The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis’s funeral will be held this Saturday, April 26 at 10:00 a.m. local time (08:00 GMT) in front of St Peter’s Basilica. The decision came after a meeting of cardinals in Vatican City on Tuesday morning to finalise the arrangements.
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Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88, prompting an outpouring of grief and tributes from leaders and faithful around the globe. In accordance with his wishes, the late pontiff’s funeral will depart from certain long-held traditions, with a more simplified and personal approach.
The Pope’s body is currently resting in the chapel of Santa Marta, the Vatican residence where he lived during his 12-year papacy. On Wednesday morning, it will be moved in a solemn procession to St Peter’s Basilica. The transfer will begin at 9:00 AM local time, led by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is serving as camerlengo—responsible for overseeing Vatican affairs in the interim.
Once inside the basilica, Cardinal Farrell will lead a brief Liturgy of the Word. The church will then open its doors to the public, allowing mourners to pay their respects. Notably, there will be no private viewing for the cardinals and the Pope’s body will not be elevated on a platform—choices made by Pope Francis himself.
Saturday’s funeral mass will be conducted by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean of the College of Cardinals. Clergy from around the world, including patriarchs, bishops, and priests, will participate. By 8:30 a.m., they will begin assembling in designated areas near the basilica, dressed in traditional liturgical garments.
The service will culminate with a final commendation and valediction, signalling the start of a formal nine-day mourning period. Following the funeral, Pope Francis’s body will be taken inside the basilica and later moved to the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome for burial—another personal request that sets him apart from his predecessors who were traditionally interred in the crypt of St Peter’s Basilica.
He will also be laid to rest in a single wooden coffin, eschewing the custom of triple-nested caskets used for previous popes.
Dignitaries, including heads of state and royalty, are expected to attend the funeral. U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron are among those who have already confirmed their presence.
The Vatican released the first official image of the Pope’s body on Tuesday, showing him in repose at the Chapel of Santa Marta, dressed in red papal vestments with a mitre and rosary, flanked by Swiss Guards and cardinals in prayer.
In the wake of the Pope’s passing, the process of selecting his successor will soon begin. A conclave of cardinals will be convened within 15 to 20 days after his burial, as per Vatican protocol.
Pope Francis died of a stroke on Easter Monday, just one day after he made a public appearance in a wheelchair to deliver his Easter message in St Peter’s Square. His death followed a prolonged illness, including a recent five-week hospitalization for double pneumonia.
Elected in 2013, Pope Francis made history as the first Latin American pontiff and became known for his efforts to reform the Church and emphasize humility and compassion in its leadership.
