Pope Francis' Funeral: A Simple yet Historic Farewell

Thousands of mourners gathered in Vatican City and Rome to bid farewell to Pope Francis, with over 50 world leaders and 11 reigning monarchs attending his funeral Mass on the steps of St. Peter's Basilica. The Pope, who died at 88 after suffering a stroke, will be remembered for his championing of migrants and the poor, and efforts to reshape the Catholic Church. His coffin was driven through Rome in a 6-kilometer procession to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, where he will be buried, the first pope in over three centuries to be interred there. The funeral reflected Francis' wishes for simplicity, with elements of the ceremony pared back to emphasize his role as a pastor and disciple of Christ.

Pope Francis wanted to continue working until the end of his life, despite advice to slow down, because he felt driven to help the powerless, according to Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican's foreign minister. The Pope, who died aged 88, was known for his courage in facing difficult issues and for being the "voice of the voiceless". Archbishop Gallagher, who accompanied the Pope on foreign trips, described him as polite, gentle, and compassionate, but also determined to follow his own path, often defying the advice of those around him. The Pope's sense of purpose and desire to alleviate suffering drove him to work at a full pace, even when told not to, and he had not taken a holiday in over 60 years.

Pope Francis' funeral will break with tradition in several ways. His body was laid in state for three days in St. Peter's Basilica in an open coffin, and he was buried in a simple wooden coffin, unlike his predecessors who were buried in three nested coffins. The updated funeral rites for pontiffs, approved by Francis, also directed that the ascertainment of the pope's death take place in a chapel, not his room. Additionally, Francis chose to be buried outside the Vatican in the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major, where he often prayed, rather than in the Vatican grottoes like many previous popes. His tomb will be simple, with only his name "Franciscus" inscribed on it, departing from the traditional inscriptions honoring their papacy.

Pope Francis' funeral is scheduled to take place on Saturday at 10 a.m. local time at the Vatican (4 a.m. Eastern, 1 a.m. Pacific). The ceremony will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re and attended by church leaders and dignitaries, including President Trump and former President Joe Biden. The funeral Mass will be followed by a procession to the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where Pope Francis will be buried as per his request. The funeral service will be available to watch on CBS television stations and streamed live on CBS News and Paramount+. The ceremony is expected to last around an hour and a half, followed by a 30-minute procession and a shorter service at the burial site. The papal conclave to choose the next pope is expected to begin in early May.

Tens of thousands of mourners waited hours in line to bid farewell to Pope Francis on his last day lying in state at St. Peter's Basilica, with around 150,000 people paying their respects. The basilica stayed open overnight to accommodate the high turnout. Pope Francis' simple wooden coffin will be sealed and prepared for his funeral on Saturday, which will be attended by numerous heads of state and royalty, including President Trump and former President Joe Biden. The conclave to choose a new pope is set to begin on May 5, after nine days of public mourning.

Thousands of mourners are waiting in long lines across the Vatican to pay their respects to Pope Francis, whose body is lying in state in St. Peter's Basilica. CNN's Clarissa Ward reported on what it was like inside the basilica.

Pope Francis' funeral will be held on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. local Rome time, with over 200,000 people expected to attend. The Mass will be presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re and will include various Catholic rites and blessings. Following the funeral, a nine-day period of prayer and mourning known as the Novendiali will begin, with daily Masses held in the Vatican Basilica for different groups, including employees and faithful of Vatican City, the Church of Rome, and various Catholic organizations. The Novendiali will conclude on May 3, 2025. Pope Francis will be buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.

The funeral of Pope Francis is being secured with an "unprecedented" security operation, involving thousands of police officers, including the elite Carabinieri military police. The event is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of mourners and dignitaries, including world leaders such as Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and Emmanuel Macron. The security operation includes anti-drone guns, snipers, helicopters, and a naval destroyer in the port of Rome, as well as fighter jets on standby. A high-security control room has been set up to coordinate the efforts of various law enforcement agencies, including the Carabinieri, national police, and intelligence services. The security plan is described as "structured three-dimensional security" and is considered to be at the maximum level.

Pope Francis's funeral is expected to be attended by over 200,000 people in St Peter's Square, with around 130 delegations present. The ceremony, led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, will last around two-and-a-half hours and be mostly conducted in Latin. The order of service includes the entrance antiphon, Penitential Act, Liturgy of the Word, and homily. The Liturgy of the Word features readings from the Acts of the Apostles, the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians, and the Gospel according to John. After the funeral, Pope Francis will be buried in Rome's Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, unlike most of his predecessors who were buried in St Peter's Basilica.

The Pope's funeral is being attended by various world leaders, including Prince William on behalf of King Charles, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania, French President Emmanuel Macron, Argentine President Javier Milei, Brazilian President Lula da Silva, and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Other attendees include leaders from Ireland, Spain, Albania, Angola, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, Cape Verde, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, and Switzerland. Notable absentees include Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

World leaders including Sir Keir Starmer, Donald Trump, and Emmanuel Macron have arrived in Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis. Around 250,000 people have paid their respects to the late Pope as he lay in state in St Peter's Basilica. The funeral is expected to be attended by around 200,000 people, including 130 delegations, with a further one million estimated to watch the procession. The ceremony will be conducted mostly in Latin and is expected to last around two-and-a-half hours. After the funeral, the Pope's remains will be interred in a simple underground tomb at Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica.