Overview

• Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 at age 88, was remembered for his reformist papacy and dedication to the marginalized during a funeral mass led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.
• The funeral, held in St. Peter's Square, drew approximately 200,000 attendees, including 50 heads of state, 10 monarchs, and numerous global dignitaries under heightened security measures by Italian authorities.
• In accordance with his 2024 reforms, Francis was buried in a single wooden coffin lined with zinc and chose Rome's Basilica of St. Mary Major as his final resting place, marking a departure from traditional Vatican burials.
• World leaders such as U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer attended, with Trump and Zelensky reportedly holding a private discussion during the event.
• Attention now shifts to the conclave process, set to begin in early May, during which 135 cardinals will gather to elect the next leader of the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church.