Overview

• The funeral Mass for Pope Francis took place in St Peter’s Square, attended by 164 delegations, including 54 heads of state and 12 monarchs.
• The late pope's body was laid in a single zinc-lined wooden coffin, breaking with centuries-old papal burial traditions, as per his wishes for simplicity.
• Over 250,000 mourners paid their respects during the three-day lying-in-state at St Peter’s Basilica, which concluded on April 25.
• Italy implemented extensive security measures, including airspace closure and deploying thousands of personnel, for one of its largest operations since 2005.
• The conclave to elect Pope Francis’s successor is expected to begin after the nine-day mourning period, likely around May 6.