The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis’ funeral will take place on Saturday, April 26, at St. Peter’s Square, with leaders from around the world expected to attend.
Funeral Details
The ceremony, set to begin at 10 am local time, will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals.
The Pope’s body will be taken to St. Mary Major Basilica for burial after the ceremony.
Pope Francis died suddenly on Monday after suffering a stroke caused by heart failure.
He was 87.
In the days leading up to his death, Francis had been in poor health, spending five weeks in the hospital earlier this year recovering from a severe bout of bronchitis.
Final Moments
The Vatican released details of the Pope’s final moments, saying he began feeling unwell at around 5:30 am local time on the day of his death.
Medical staff quickly attended to him, and about an hour later, he made a gesture of farewell to his nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, before falling into a coma.
Francis died at 7:35 am.
The Vatican has released images of the Pope lying in state in an open coffin at the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, where he lived during his 12 years as Pope.
The body will be moved to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday, April 23, at 9 am local time, where it will remain until the funeral.
Global Leaders to Attend
Several world leaders are expected to attend the funeral, including:
- Argentine President Javier Milei
- French President Emmanuel Macron
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
- US ex-President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump
- Prince William, Prince of Wales
Other dignitaries and religious leaders are also expected to be in attendance.
The BBC and Channel News Asia reported on the Pope’s death and funeral arrangements.