Pope Francis to be Laid to Rest as Church Faces Pivotal Election

By Staff, Agencies

Presidents, royalty, and hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered on Saturday at Pope Francis's funeral in St. Peter’s Square, paying tribute to a pontiff remembered for his compassion toward migrants, the marginalized, and his unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship.

The solemn ceremony marked the end of Pope Francis’s 12-year papacy, with many now turning their attention to the Catholic Church’s next chapter.

The coffin of Pope Francis has now been taken inside Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome, where he will be laid to rest, making him the first pope since Leo XIII, who died in 1903, to be buried outside the Vatican. 

A short, private service will take place at the basilica.

The Vatican announced earlier that people will be able to visit Francis’ tomb from Sunday morning. 

The crowd, estimated at 250,000, filled St. Peter’s Square and spilled into surrounding streets, applauding as Re recounted the late pope’s lifelong dedication to humanitarian causes and his persistent push for diplomatic solutions to global conflicts.

As the two-hour funeral service concluded, applause again erupted when ushers raised the casket, allowing the mourners a final view before placing it on an open-topped popemobile.

Pope Francis’s decision to forgo the lavish customs associated with the papacy was reflected throughout his tenure, and his funeral honored that humility.