Overview

• Pope Francis's body lies in state at St. Peter’s Basilica until 19:00 local time on April 25, with over 128,000 visitors recorded since April 23.
• The funeral Mass, presided by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, will take place on April 26 at 10:00 in St. Peter’s Square, with delegations from over 130 countries attending.
• Following the Mass, Pope Francis will be buried in Santa María la Mayor, fulfilling his testament and marking a departure from traditional papal interments in St. Peter’s Basilica.
• Francis’s simplified funeral rites reflect his 2024 reforms, including a single-coffin burial and the absence of ceremonial excess.
• Preparations for the May 5 conclave to elect the next pope are underway, with 133 cardinal electors set to participate.