Vatican holds funeral for Pope Francis today
St. Peter's Square at the Vatican opened to the public this morning ahead of Pope Francis's funeral, which is expected to draw approximately 200,000 people and dozens of officials, EFE reports.
The funeral ceremony is scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM local time, when the coffin will be brought from the Vatican basilica.
The funeral will be officiated by Cardinal Dean Giovanni Battista Re. Delegations from over 130 countries and international organizations are expected to attend, including approximately 50 heads of state or government, including President Maia Sandu. The front row will include the Argentinian delegation, led by President Javier Milei, from Francis's native country, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
After the ceremony in the square, the coffin will travel through Rome in a funeral cortege to be transferred to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, as he himself directed in his will.
Following Pope Francis's burial, the cardinals will gather in a conclave to elect the 267th pope of the Catholic Church. The conclave must be held within 15-20 days following Pope Francis's death.
Pope Francis passed away on the morning of April 21, 2025, at 7:35 AM, at his residence at Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican. The Sovereign Pontiff was 88 years old and had been suffering from several respiratory ailments. In mid-February, he was hospitalized at Rome's Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital, where he was diagnosed with bronchitis and, subsequently, with bilateral pneumonia. After 38 days of hospitalization, the Pope was discharged and continued his recovery at the Vatican.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who became Pope Francis in 2013, was the first Pope from Latin America and the first Jesuit to lead the Catholic Church.
In April 2024, Pope Francis approved a new edition of the liturgical ritual for papal funerals, asking that they be simple and centered on faith in the Resurrection of Christ. The date of the burial is yet to be announced.
Pope Francis led the Catholic Church for 12 years, serving as a fervent advocate for the poor, peace, and ecumenism. Pope Francis was a critic of "spiritual worldliness" and the obsession with power, stating that the most serious danger for the Church is to lose its simplicity and closeness to the people. He reformed Vatican institutions, launched broadly consultative synods, and promoted women to leadership positions. He was the first Pope to allow women to vote in a Synod.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
