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3d ago

Pope Francis Lies in State as Vatican Prepares for Funeral

Thousands queue at St. Peter's Basilica to pay respects, while world leaders confirm attendance for Saturday's service.

Pope Francis' body is carried in a coffin into Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on the day of its translation, at the Vatican, April 23, 2025. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
Image
Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrell, center right, spreads incense around the body of Pope Francis inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
People take pictures of the image of Pope Francis displayed on the chapel of Manila Cathedral after the requiem mass, following the Pope's death, in Manila, Philippines, April 22, 2025. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David REUTERS

Overview

  • Pope Francis's simple wooden coffin remains on public view at St. Peter's Basilica, where mourners wait up to eight hours to pay their respects.
  • Over 61,000 people have visited the basilica since Wednesday, with the Vatican extending viewing hours to accommodate the crowds.
  • World leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, are confirmed to attend the funeral on Saturday morning.
  • Italy has implemented heightened security measures, expecting hundreds of thousands of attendees and 170 foreign delegations for the funeral.
  • The conclave to elect Francis's successor will begin no earlier than May 6, following the traditional mourning period.