Pope Francis was laid to rest on April 26, 2025, following a solemn funeral at St. Peter’s Square attended by over 250,000 mourners, including world leaders, royalty, and everyday followers. The 88-year-old pontiff, who led the Roman Catholic Church for 12 years, passed away due to a stroke. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, presiding over the Mass, highlighted Francis’ compassion and advocacy for migrants, the poor, and the environment. His simple burial at Rome’s St. Mary Major Basilica honored his wish to avoid the Vatican’s traditional grandeur.
The funeral rites adhered to the updated Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, which Pope Francis had revised in 2024 to simplify papal funerals. His body was placed in a cypress coffin lined with zinc, containing symbolic items such as his miter, crozier, rosary, a pouch of commemorative coins, and the Rogito, an official papal document summarizing his life and papacy.
In a departure from tradition, Pope Francis chose to be interred at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, a site of personal significance where he often prayed before the Salus Populi Romani icon. His tomb bears only his Latin name, “Franciscus,” reflecting his desire for humility even in death.
The funeral procession through Rome drew massive crowds, reminiscent of his global pilgrimages. Notably, U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met during the occasion.
As the Church enters a transitional period, attention shifts to the upcoming conclave in May to determine his successor amid ongoing financial and ideological challenges.