The funeral of Pope Francis has kicked off in the majestic Baroque plaza in front of St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican today, Saturday 26 April, 2025.
Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, and the leader of some 1.4 billion Catholics, passed at the age of eighty-eight (88) on Easter Monday, 21 April, 2025.
Francis’ coffin was transported into the outdoor piazza after lying in state in St. Peter’s Basilica for three (3) days, – marking the start of the funeral.
Religious and Political leaders, alongside thousands of pilgrims, have converged at the Vatican to bid farewell to Francis, six (6) days after he gave his Easter blessing to those crowded into St. Peter’s Square.
After a ceremony in the Vatican, the body of His Holiness will be taken over the River Tiber to be buried in a tomb in Rome’s Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.
Photo: Members of the clergy attend the funeral Mass of Pope Francis. Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters via edition.cnn.com
