Vatican City: Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, was laid to rest on Saturday (April 26, 2025), following his death on April 21 at age 88 from a stroke and heart failure. The funeral Mass, held in St. Peter’s Square, drew 200,000 mourners, including 130 foreign delegations with 50 heads of state and 10 reigning sovereigns, such as President Droupadi Murmu, US President Donald Trump, former President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, presided over the ceremony, which followed the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, updated by Francis to emphasise simplicity. His homily described Francis as “a pope among the people,” recalling his final Easter Sunday blessing. The crowd applauded as his simple zinc-lined wooden coffin emerged from St. Peter’s Basilica.
Over 250,000 people viewed Francis’s body during three days of lying
Breaking tradition, Francis was buried at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, not the Vatican Grottoes, per his will. After the Mass, his coffin was transported via popemobile to the basilica, where a marble stone marked “Franciscus” denotes his tomb, reflecting his rejection of papal pomp.
Over 250,000 people viewed Francis’s body during three days of lying in state at St. Peter’s Basilica. The Vatican’s Swiss Guards and Italian security, including drone-defense measures, ensured safety amid the global gathering.
Francis, pope since 2013, was lauded for advocating for the poor, migrants, and interfaith dialogue, though some criticized his reforms as insufficient. The College of Cardinals now prepares for a conclave to elect his successor, with debates on whether the next pope will follow his progressive path or shift conservatively.
