The funeral of Pope Francis will take place on Saturday, 26 April, 2025, beginning at 10:00 local time in St Peter’s Square. The service, led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, will be attended by hundreds of Church leaders and thousands of mourners, before concluding with the late pontiff’s final journey to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major for burial.

More than 250 cardinals, accompanied by bishops, clergy, and members of religious orders, are expected to gather for the liturgy, which marks the beginning of the Novemdiales, nine days of mourning and prayer held in the Vatican following a pope’s death.

Pope Francis’s coffin, made of wood and zinc and sealed the night before, will be placed in front of the Basilica’s main altar, overlooking a crowd anticipated to reach into the hundreds of thousands. Pilgrims and visitors from across the world, representing a wide spectrum of cultures, nations, and backgrounds, are expected to fill the square, a reflection of the inclusive Church Francis championed throughout his papacy.

The funeral Mass will feature readings from Acts, Saint Paul’s letters, and the Gospel of John. Prayers will be offered in multiple languages, including French, Arabic, Portuguese, Polish, German, and Chinese, symbolising the global nature of the Church. The Sistine Chapel Choir will provide music throughout the liturgy.

Following the service, Pope Francis’s coffin will be carried through the streets of Rome on a roughly four-kilometre procession to Santa Maria Maggiore, a basilica deeply connected to his life and spiritual devotion. The route will retrace paths the Pope often walked before and after international journeys, particularly to pray before the image of the Virgin Salus Populi Romani.

The final stretch of the procession will see the coffin welcomed by the poor and vulnerable, individuals whom Pope Francis consistently placed at the centre of his pastoral mission. A private burial will follow inside the basilica.

The Camerlengo, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, will place the official seals on the coffin, alongside those of various Vatican offices. After the interment, a formal record of the burial will be read aloud and signed by Church officials in attendance.

Broadcasts of the funeral will be made available globally, including online coverage through Vatican News, Facebook, and YouTube. Dignitaries from over 130 nations and international bodies are due to attend, including monarchs, heads of state, and government leaders. The Vatican has accredited more than 4,000 journalists to cover the proceedings.

The entire ceremony is expected to conclude around 14:00.