The world has converged on Rome this weekend for a solemn occasion: the farewell to Pope Francis.
His Holiness, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88 following complications from a stroke and a recent diagnosis of double pneumonia requiring hospitalization, will be laid to rest after several days of public mourning at St. Peter’s Basilica.
A memorial mass, expected to draw global leaders, will take place in St. Peter’s Square. The schedule includes:
- Saturday at 10:00 AM local time: A funeral procession will carry the Pope’s casket through the basilica’s main doors.
- A grand assembly of foreign dignitaries and cardinals will line the square, creating a poignant backdrop for the service.
- Following the mass, in an unprecedented move for the Vatican, the pontiff’s coffin will be transported through the streets of Rome to its final repose at Santa Maria Maggiore basilica.
The Vatican anticipates that approximately 250,000 people—mourners and dignitaries alike—will gather along St. Peter’s Square and the surrounding routes, with Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re leading the ceremony.
Among those paying their respects are numerous heads of state and government officials, including:
- President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump (United States)
- Presidents of Argentina, France, Gabon, Germany, Italy, the Philippines, Poland, and Ukraine
- Prime Ministers of Britain and New Zealand
- Members of European royal families
The outpouring of grief has been remarkable, with crowds queuing through the night to pay their final respects.
“It’s a time for reflection, remembrance, and unity,” said one attendee waiting in line. “Pope Francis touched so many lives.”