VATICAN CITY — The Vatican has confirmed that the funeral of Pope Francis will be held on Saturday, April 26, at 10:00 a.m. local time (0800 GMT) in St. Peter’s Square. The ceremony will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, who will preside over the Requiem Mass.
In keeping with the late pontiff’s request for simplicity, Pope Francis’s body lies in state at St. Peter’s Basilica in a modest wooden coffin. Thousands of mourners have been arriving daily to pay their final respects. Following the service, he will be interred at the Basilica of St. Mary Major—making him the first pope in over a hundred years to be buried outside Vatican grounds.
The funeral will include the traditional Catholic rites Ultima commendatio and Valedictio. A host of global leaders and dignitaries are expected to attend, including U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Britain’s Prince William, underscoring the international impact of Francis’s papacy.
For those unable to attend, the funeral will be broadcast live on major international networks such as BBC News and Sky News, and streamed through Vatican Media’s official channels.
A period of official mourning, known as Novendiale, began immediately following his death. This nine-day observance honors the late pope’s life and leadership, marking the end of a 12-year papacy that was distinguished by compassion, reform, and deep engagement with the world’s most vulnerable.