Vatican City – April 22, 2025
The Roman Catholic Church is in mourning following the unexpected death of Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke and cardiac arrest, according to a statement from the Vatican.
The funeral for the late pontiff will take place this Saturday at 10:00 a.m. local time (0800 GMT) in St Peter’s Square, a ceremony expected to draw world leaders and faithful from across the globe.
Pope Francis, the first Latin American pope and a passionate advocate for the poor and marginalized, led the Church for 12 years. Despite recent health challenges, including a five-week hospitalization earlier this year for double pneumonia, he appeared to be recovering and even addressed crowds on Easter Sunday from St Peter’s Square.
Photographs released by the Vatican show the pontiff dressed in his liturgical vestments and resting in a simple wooden coffin in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence, where he chose to live during his papacy instead of the traditional apostolic palace. His body will be moved to St Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning, where the public can pay their last respects.
In a break from tradition, Francis requested in his final testament to be buried at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, rather than the traditional burial site beneath St Peter’s Basilica.
World leaders are expected to attend the funeral, including U.S. President Donald Trump, Argentine President Javier Milei, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Pope Francis leaves behind a legacy marked by deep reform, both in the Church’s central administration and in its global mission. He battled entrenched corruption within the Vatican, expanded outreach to marginalized communities, and worked to confront the crisis of sexual abuse within the Church. His progressive stance often put him at odds with more conservative factions within the hierarchy.
With his passing, ancient Vatican traditions have begun, including the ceremonial breaking of the Fisherman’s Ring and the lead seal used to authenticate papal documents, symbolizing the end of his authority.
The College of Cardinals convened Tuesday to plan the upcoming days and prepare for the election of a new pope. A conclave is expected to begin between May 6 and May 11, with 135 cardinals eligible to vote. While no clear frontrunner has emerged, nearly 80% of the voting cardinals were appointed by Francis, potentially influencing the direction of his successor.
As the Church prepares to bid farewell to a transformative figure, the world watches closely to see what future direction the Catholic Church will take in the post-Francis era.
