Overview

• Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 at the age of 88, was buried on April 26 at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, following a 90-minute funeral Mass in St. Peter’s Square.
• The funeral, presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, reflected Francis's 2024 reforms, which simplified traditional papal burial rites by eliminating multiple coffins and emphasizing humility.
• An estimated 200,000 people attended the ceremony, including 50 heads of state, 10 reigning monarchs, and global leaders such as U.S. President Donald Trump, former President Joe Biden, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
• Francis’s body lay in state for three days at St. Peter’s Basilica, where over 250,000 mourners paid their respects before his coffin was closed on April 25.
• The conclave to elect Francis's successor is expected to begin between May 5 and 10, as speculation grows about the future direction of the Catholic Church.