Overview

• Pope Francis’s body will lie in state at St. Peter’s Basilica until 19:00 local time today, with over 128,000 mourners already paying their respects since Wednesday.
• The funeral Mass is scheduled for April 26 at 10:00 local time in St. Peter’s Square, led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, with attendance by at least 130 delegations, including heads of state and monarchs.
• Francis will be buried in a single wooden casket at Santa María la Mayor, reflecting his commitment to simplicity and breaking with traditional Vatican burial customs.
• The College of Cardinals will convene no earlier than May 5 to elect the next pope, with 133 electors representing 71 countries participating in the conclave.
• Authorities estimate that up to 200,000 people will attend the funeral in Rome, with extensive global media coverage expected for the event.