The Vatican has announced that the funeral for Pope Francis will take place on Saturday April 26th, at 11:00 am EAT , 10:00am local time (09:00 BST, 08:00 GMT).
The Pope passed away earlier this week, prompting an international outpouring of grief.
Dignitaries from around the world have confirmed attendance at the funeral, which will take place on the steps of St Peter’s Basilica. Among them are German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Polish President Andrzej Duda, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron had both indicated plans to attend even before the official date was confirmed. Argentine President Javier Milei and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer have also confirmed their participation.
Downing Street confirmed Starmer’s attendance, with his spokesperson saying the Prime Minister “joins millions around the world in grieving the death of His Holiness,” and praised Pope Francis’ leadership during “a complex and challenging time.”
In Italy, the government has declared five days of national mourning in honor of the late pontiff, with the period of reflection culminating in Saturday’s funeral service.
The Holy See has released official images of the late Pope in an open coffin, wearing red liturgical robes, the traditional papal mitre, and holding a rosary. His body will be taken to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday, where it will lie in state for the public to pay their respects.
According to reports from the Vatican, a steady stream of mourners has already begun visiting the basilica.
Pope Francis passed away on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88. His funeral is scheduled for Saturday, April 26, at 10:00 a.m. local time in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City, and will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.
In accordance with his wishes for simplicity, Pope Francis’ funeral rites have been modified. His body will lie in state at St. Peter’s Basilica from Wednesday, April 23, allowing the public to pay their respects. Unlike traditional papal funerals, he will be buried in a single wooden coffin lined with zinc, foregoing the customary triple-coffin arrangement. Following the funeral Mass, he will be interred at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, honoring his devotion to the icon of Mary housed there.
The funeral will include the “Ultima commendatio” and “Valedictio” rites, with a nine-day mourning period, known as the “novemdiales,” commencing thereafter.
Pope Francis’ funeral arrangements reflect his commitment to humility and his desire for a modest farewell.