Saturday | 26th April 2025
Pope Francis, the humble pontiff whose commitment to inclusiveness, modesty, and mercy defined his 12-year papacy, was laid to rest Saturday in a service he had purposefully simplified.
Hundreds of thousands of mourners, along with dozens of world leaders and dignitaries, filled St. Peter’s Square in Rome for the funeral. After the Mass, Francis’ simple wooden coffin, adorned with a large cross, was placed on an open-air popemobile and transported to the burial site outside the Vatican by a motorcade that wound through streets lined with cheering crowds.
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 91, who led the funeral Mass, praised Francis in his homily as “a pope among the people, with an open heart toward everyone.”
“He formed direct connections with individuals and communities, always eager to be near those in need, giving of himself without limit, especially to the marginalized,” Re said.
The Mass opened with readings from Scripture as pallbearers, wearing white gloves, carried the modest coffin into the square. Bells tolled and applause echoed through the crowd.
Some mourners had spent the night outside to secure a place. “We have been waiting all night,” said Maria Fierro of Spain. “Accompanying Francis in his final moments is very emotional.”
James Mary, a Franciscan nun, shared a similar sentiment: “We stayed up all night. We want to say goodbye because he was a living saint — very humble and simple.”
Francis, who led the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88, following a stroke after weeks of battling respiratory illness. Just one day earlier, on Easter Sunday, the frail but determined pope — often called “the people’s pope” — had delighted the faithful with an impromptu ride around St. Peter’s Square in the popemobile.
Throughout his papacy, the Argentine-born pope, who often faced resistance from Church traditionalists, was known for his warm, down-to-earth manner. He famously lived in a Vatican guesthouse rather than the Apostolic Palace, used public transportation, wore simple white cassocks, and, during his 2015 visit to the United States, traveled around Washington, D.C., in a modest black Fiat.
A year ago, Francis simplified the rules for papal funeral rites, ensuring that his own farewell would embody the same message of humility and simplicity — a departure from centuries of tradition, even in death.
Pope Francis buried in private ceremony
Pope Francis was laid to rest Saturday afternoon in a private religious ceremony inside the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, according to Vatican News.
The Rite of the Burial of the Roman Pontiff was attended by Catholic leaders and members of Francis’ family, Vatican News reported.
Following a solemn procession through streets lined with thousands of mourners, Francis’ coffin arrived at the basilica, where it was welcomed by 40 individuals representing the communities he championed during his papacy — including people experiencing homelessness, migrants, prisoners, and transgender people, according to the Associated Press.
In a poignant moment, four children placed white roses atop his coffin.
Over a quarter million gather for Mass at St. Peter’s Square
More than a quarter-million people gathered in St. Peter’s Square for Pope Francis’ funeral, according to Vatican News.
Approximately 250 cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, and priests, along with consecrated religious and laypeople, joined Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, as he led the liturgy, the Vatican’s news agency reported.
Procession through Rome includes open-air popemobile
Pope Francis’ coffin was carried through the streets of Rome in an open-air popemobile — a white Mercedes-Benz adorned with Vatican flags — as part of a solemn motorcade.
The procession traveled roughly 2.5 miles to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, where Francis was laid to rest in a private ceremony.
Along the route, thousands of onlookers lined the streets, waving and applauding as the popemobile passed by.
Where is Pope Francis being buried?
Pope Francis’ funeral service lasted two hours, notably shorter than the three-hour service for Pope John Paul II in 2005.
In his final testament, Francis requested to be buried inside the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, specifically in the burial niche between the Chapel of the Salus Populi Romani and the Sforza Chapel — rather than in the Grotto at St. Peter’s Basilica. With this, he becomes the first pope in nearly a century to be laid to rest outside the Vatican.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Francis also asked for a “simple” burial. His instructions were clear: “The tomb should be in the ground; simple, without particular ornamentation, and bearing only the inscription: Franciscus.”
St. Mary Major held special significance for Francis due to his deep devotion to Mary, Mother of God; he often visited the basilica to pray before and after his international journeys.
St. Mary Major Basilica not the usual resting place for a pope
Pope Francis’ final resting place is the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, a nearly 1,600-year-old church and revered shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary. According to Reuters, Francis is the first pope in over a century to be buried outside the Vatican and the eighth to be interred at St. Mary Major.
Traditionally, popes are laid to rest in the grottoes beneath St. Peter’s Basilica.
St. Mary Major, one of the four Papal Basilicas, was rebuilt and enlarged under the orders of Pope Sixtus III in 432, according to the basilica’s official website. The church houses several significant relics, including the Holy Crib — believed to be the manger of the Baby Jesus — as well as the remains of Saint Matthew and Saint Jerome.
The basilica is also the final resting place of famed artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini and his father, Pietro Bernini. Gian Bernini, who designed the iconic colonnade encircling St. Peter’s Square and the magnificent baldacchino (canopy) over the tomb of St. Peter inside St. Peter’s Basilica, had close ties to the church. Pietro Bernini, credited alongside his son, created the Fontana della Barcaccia (“Fountain of the Leaky Boat”) at the foot of the Spanish Steps in Rome.
Trump and Zelenskyy meet at pope’s funeral
President Donald Trump held a brief “private” meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of the funeral, White House Communications Director Steve Cheung said.
Cheung described the conversation as “very productive” and added that more details would be released in the coming hours. Ukrainian officials indicated that a second meeting between the two leaders was expected later in the day, although the White House has not confirmed that plan.
This marked the first meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy since their heated clash in the Oval Office in February over strategies for achieving a peace settlement with Russia.
Trump gets front-row seat at pope’s funeral
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were seated in the front row during the service, despite precedent set at Pope John Paul II’s 2005 funeral, which placed non-royal heads of state in the third row behind monarchs, according to the Daily Beast.
At that earlier event, Catholic royals were given front-row seats, followed by non-Catholic royals, with non-royal heads of state seated further back in order of their countries’ names alphabetically.
Trump’s midnight blue suit stood out amid a sea of black attire.
Tensions had long simmered between Trump and Pope Francis, who had criticized the former president’s hardline immigration policies — calling the deportation plans a “disgrace” — as well as his cuts to foreign aid and domestic welfare programs.
Why is the pope’s casket lined with zinc?
Pope Francis’ coffin also marked a break from traditional papal customs. Rather than being buried in three coffins — typically made of cypress, lead, and elm, each nested inside the other — he was laid to rest in a single, simple wooden coffin lined with zinc.
The coffin, shaped like a tapered hexagonal box, is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, subtly echoing the shape of the human form.
According to Homeland International, a global repatriation firm, zinc is used to make coffins airtight and hermetically sealed. Steve Soult Limited, a coffin supplier based in Nottingham, England, noted that zinc liners provide an extra layer of protection against “external factors such as water, insects, and other natural elements.”
“By safeguarding the coffin, these liners ensure that the memory of our loved one remains undisturbed, allowing us to find solace in knowing their resting place will endure the test of time,” the company explained in a TikTok post. Zinc, it added, is “a durable and corrosion-resistant metal” that “helps to preserve the integrity of the coffin over time.”
John Kerry says pope was frustrated over climate change inaction
Pope Francis privately expressed frustration over humanity’s inaction on climate change, former Secretary of State John Kerry said in an interview with MSNBC ahead of the pontiff’s funeral.
Kerry, who served as the U.S. climate envoy under the Biden administration, said that during their four meetings on the issue, Francis “absolutely” showed signs of frustration.
“He would roll his eyes a little bit about the human challenge — getting people to actually do things — but he kept his faith,” Kerry recalled. “He was remarkable in his steady, calm, quiet, yet unwavering commitment to addressing climate change.”
Throughout his papacy, Francis consistently called for major reductions in carbon emissions, especially by industrialized nations — including during a landmark 2015 address to the U.S. Congress. In 2023, he notably criticized the United States as being particularly “irresponsible” regarding emissions, especially in comparison to China.
Who was the oldest pope?
At 88 years, 4 months, and 4 days old, Pope Francis was one of the oldest popes in the history of the Catholic Church. Among the 266 papacies, he passed away at a younger age than only a few others, though historical records for many of them are limited.
The oldest verified papal death was that of Pope Leo XIII, who died at 93 in 1903. Saint Agatho, a 7th-century pope, is said to have lived well beyond 100 years, passing away during a plague in Rome, although historical documentation on his exact age is scarce.
Francis became the 266th pope in 2013 at the age of 76, making him one of the oldest popes ever elected. His predecessor, Benedict XVI, was 78 when elected and resigned at 85. Benedict passed away in 2022 at the age of 95.
A son to Italian immigrants: Who is Pope Francis’ family?
Born on December 17, 1936, Pope Francis was the eldest of five children born to Italian immigrant parents in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His father, Mario, was an accountant, and his mother, Regina, was described as a “committed wife,” according to the Vatican biography.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, he had one living sibling at the time of his election to the papacy in 2013 — his sister, María Elena Bergoglio, who was 64 years old.
María, who is 12 years younger than Jorge, expressed in an interview with the National Catholic Reporter that she had hoped her brother wouldn’t become pope because she “wanted him to come back!”
In another interview with CNN en Español, she recalled a conversation with Francis shortly after his election. He told her, “I cannot call everyone. We are a very big family, so please send them my love. Because if I call everyone, it will empty the Vatican coffers.”
Francis was first Jesuit pope. What is a Jesuit?
Pope Francis made history as the first Jesuit to lead the Catholic Church in its nearly 2,000-year history.
The Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic order founded in 1540 by Saint Ignatius of Loyola. Jesuits follow Ignatian spirituality, as outlined in the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius, a guide for meditation, self-awareness, and prayer.
Central to Jesuit life is the concept of being “contemplatives in action,” turning their spiritual practices into tangible efforts for the greater good. They are particularly recognized for their commitment to promoting global justice, peace, and dialogue.
In the United States, prominent Jesuit institutions include Georgetown University, Gonzaga University, Boston College, Saint Louis University, Fordham University, and the College of the Holy Cross.
What type of security is in place for the pope’s funeral?
A massive security operation is underway in and around Vatican City for Pope Francis’ funeral.
The event has drawn dozens of world leaders and thousands of mourners from around the globe, all gathered in Rome to pay their respects.
Approximately 2,000 local police officers are on duty for the funeral, supported by thousands more from national security forces. Security measures include patrols on the Tiber River, drones, and strategically positioned snipers.
In preparation for the service, streets surrounding the Vatican were closed to traffic on Saturday, and authorities have declared a no-fly zone over Rome for the entire week.
Pope’s call to ‘build bridges, not walls’ highlighted
In his homily, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re emphasized Pope Francis’ constant call to “build bridges, not walls” between people. This message was evident during the pope’s 2016 visit to the U.S.-Mexico border, where he held a Mass to highlight the “human tragedy” of “forced migration.”
The cardinal also recalled that Pope Francis’ first foreign trip as pope took him to the Italian island of Lampedusa, a critical site in Europe’s refugee and migrant crisis. While there, Francis met with refugees and migrants, underscoring his commitment to addressing their plight.
US journalist participates in pope’s funeral. Who is Kielce Gussie?
service, works with Vatican News — an outlet created by Francis to enhance the quality of news coming from the Vatican.
Gussie joined Vatican News in October 2024, following more than two years at Rome Reports TV News Agency, a media outlet dedicated to covering the pope and the Vatican, according to her LinkedIn profile.
In a social media post to Inside Edition’s Deborah Norville, Gussie shared that she learned she would be part of the funeral service on April 23. Originally from Florida, Gussie expressed that her lifelong dream had always been to work as a reporter for the Vatican.
Who was the longest-serving pope?
Pope Francis served as the head of the Catholic Church for 12 years, 1 month, and 8 days, according to the document buried with him. His papacy lasted longer than the 7.5-year average for the previous 265 pontificates, as reported by Reuters.
However, the longest-serving pope in history served for a significantly longer period.
The longest confirmed pontificate was that of Pope Pius IX, the 255th pope, who led the Church for 32 years, from 1846 until his death in 1878, at the age of 85.
Saint Peter, regarded as the first pope and one of Jesus Christ’s 12 apostles, is said to have served between 31 to 38 years, leading the early Church until his death in Rome between 64 and 67 AD.
Trump, Biden, Zelenskyy, not Putin at funeral
Dozens of world leaders and heads of state have gathered in Rome, many of whom have had their own complicated relationships with both Pope Francis and each other.
Pope Francis once described President Donald Trump’s plans for mass deportations of immigrants as a “disgrace.” Before taking their seats at the funeral, Trump and his wife, Melania, paid their respects to Francis’ coffin in St. Peter’s Basilica, which had been sealed shut the night before.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has faced difficulties navigating Trump’s efforts to broker a peace deal for the Ukraine-Russia conflict. The two leaders clashed during an Oval Office meeting in late February, but briefly met before the funeral service. Former President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, are also in Rome for the occasion.
One notable absence is Russia’s Vladimir Putin, who, despite presenting himself as a man of faith, is under an international criminal court arrest warrant due to his invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin confirmed that Putin would not be attending the service.
Who is presiding over today’s funeral service for Pope Francis?
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 91, dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside over the funeral Mass, which will be celebrated by patriarchs, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests from across the globe, according to the Vatican.
The College of Cardinals, responsible for electing the next pope through the highly secretive process of a papal conclave, is a key body in the Church. As dean, Cardinal Re holds one of the highest-ranking positions in the Catholic Church. He has devoted five decades to serving in the Roman Curia, the Vatican’s administrative body.
Described in his biography on the College of Cardinals website as having an “affable manner and efficient approach to issues and conflicts,” Re is known for his diplomatic and practical handling of Church matters.
Pope’s tomb made of ‘people’s stone’
Pope Francis’ simple tomb, inscribed with the name “Franciscus” and a reproduction of his pectoral cross, is crafted from marble sourced from Italy’s Liguria region, where Francis’ ancestors originated before settling in his native Argentina, according to Vatican News.
Francis had specifically requested a tomb made from Ligurian stone. The plaque, made from slate — described as a “fine-grained gray, green, or bluish metamorphic rock” — also commemorates his great-grandfather, Vincenzo Sivori, on his mother’s side.
Franca Garbaino, president of the Slate District in Liguria, explained that slate is “not a noble stone,” but rather “the people’s stone” that “gives warmth.”
Francis’ family roots trace back to Cogorno, a town located southeast of Genoa, the capital of Liguria.
Why do Swiss Guards guard the Vatican?
The Swiss Guard has been entrusted with the protection of popes since the 1500s. While their role is ceremonial, they also serve a critical protective function, and in some ways, they are considered mercenaries. Their distinctive uniforms, featuring feathered helmets, ruffled collars, and puffed-out sleeves, make them instantly recognizable.
Often referred to as the world’s smallest army, the Swiss Guard is highly trained in elite skills such as counterintelligence, close-quarters combat, and bomb disposal. Though independent from Switzerland’s military, their training takes place in Switzerland itself.
Competition to join the Swiss Guard is fierce, with only 135 positions available.
What will the weather be like for the funeral today?
The weather in Vatican City has been spectacular all week, and conditions for the funeral are expected to be equally favorable, according to forecasters.
“It should be a nice and calm day,” said AccuWeather meteorologist Jacob Hinson in an interview with USA TODAY. He predicted sunny to partly cloudy skies, with temperatures reaching the 70s.
Wind won’t be a concern, either, with only light gusts of 6-10 mph expected throughout the day.
Thousands lined up to pay homage at St. Peter’s Basilica
Around 250,000 people have paid their respects to Pope Francis this week as he lay in state at St. Peter’s Basilica. Lines stretched more than half a mile north of the Vatican, with some mourners waiting up to three hours to enter.
“He was a wonderful pope,” said Alessandra Caccamo of Rome, who was waiting outside the Vatican. “I’m going to miss him so much, because it feels like I’ve lost a piece of me.”
Rachel McKay, from Britain, expressed how Francis had made the Church more accessible: “He made the Church very inclusive for everyone. He’s like a member of the family, someone very close to our hearts.”
When will a new pope be picked?
A conclave to elect a new pope typically takes place 15 to 20 days after the death of a pontiff, which means it is unlikely to begin before May 6. As of this week, there are 252 cardinals, 135 of whom are electors, according to the Vatican. Cardinals over the age of 80 are excluded from voting.
In medieval times, conclaves could last years before a new pope was chosen, but today, they are far shorter. When Pope Francis was elected in 2013, the conclave began the day before his election.
Voting takes place in a series of rounds until one candidate secures a clear majority.
The world is now waiting with anticipation to learn who the next pope will be. Several names have surfaced as potential front-runners, including bishops from Canada and the Philippines. Pope Francis, elected in 2013, was the first non-European pope in over 1,300 years.
