Pope Francis' Funeral and Legacy Spark Conclave

The Roman Catholic faithful have begun visiting Pope Francis' tomb in St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome, a day after his funeral. Thousands have filed past the simple white tomb, many crossing themselves or taking photos. Visitors have expressed their emotions and gratitude for the late pope's influence, with some saying he left a mark on them and inspired them. The tomb was opened on the second day of a nine-day mourning period, after which a conclave will be held to elect the next pope. Meanwhile, a special Mass was celebrated in St. Peter's Square by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who is considered a possible contender to be the next pope. The conclave is expected to start between May 5 and May 10, with about 135 Cardinals meeting to chart a way forward for the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church.

Images of Pope Francis' tomb in the Santa Maria Maggiore church in Rome have been released, showing a simple stone tomb with a single white rose and a crucifix illuminated by a spotlight. The late pope was laid to rest in a private ceremony following his public funeral in the Vatican on Saturday. Thousands of mourners have been visiting the tomb since the church opened to the public on Sunday, with many expressing emotional reactions to seeing the final resting place of the pontiff, who had expressed a wish to be buried there in 2022.

Pope Francis was remembered as a "pope of the people" during his funeral, celebrated by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. The cardinal highlighted Francis' concern for the marginalized and his call to "build bridges, not walls." Re recalled Francis' visits to refugee camps and his efforts to welcome migrants, including a notable trip to Lesbos, Greece, where he brought 12 refugees back to Italy. The homily emphasized Francis' commitment to making the Church a "home for all" and his mission to spread the joy of the Gospel. Francis died on April 21 at the age of 86 and was laid to rest in a simple tomb at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome.

Thousands attended Pope Francis' funeral in St. Peter's Square, including world leaders such as President Trump and former President Joe Biden, as well as kings, queens, and other dignitaries. The funeral Mass was led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who delivered a homily praising Pope Francis as "a pope among the people" with an open heart towards everyone. After the Mass, the coffin was taken in a procession through Rome to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where Pope Francis was laid to rest as per his wishes. An estimated 250,000 people attended the funeral service, and many more watched the procession along the streets of Rome.

Pope Francis was laid to rest after a funeral that reflected both his desire for simplicity and the grandeur of his office. He was remembered as the "People's Pope" for his humility and relatability. Francis, the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit pope, prided himself on being "normal" and was known for his welcoming and loving nature. He chose a simple wooden coffin and was buried outside the Vatican at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, marked only with his name "Franciscus." Francis' papacy was marked by his efforts to make the Church more approachable, but his liberal leanings also heightened division within the Church. The cardinals are now preparing for a conclave to choose the next pope, with about four-fifths of the voting cardinals appointed by Francis, leaving the question of whether his legacy will be cemented or challenged.

Around 250,000 people attended Pope Francis' funeral service in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. The ceremony was presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re and followed traditional papal funeral rites, with some unique details chosen by Pope Francis. The service included music by the Sistine Chapel Choir and a homily by Cardinal Re, who highlighted Pope Francis' priorities of mercy and the joys of the gospel. The funeral was attended by thousands of members of the public, as well as religious leaders and heads of state from around 130 countries, including US Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump. After the service, Pope Francis' coffin was transported to the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, where he was buried as per his request. The burial rites were led by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, and the coffin was placed in a simple tomb with the inscription "Franciscus." The Catholic Church will now begin a nine-day mourning period, followed by a papal conclave to select the next pope, likely in early May.

CNN's Anderson Cooper describes the atmosphere in Rome ahead of Pope Francis' funeral, which saw over 250,000 mourners attend and a procession through the city before the pope was laid to rest at Rome's Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.

CNN Vatican Correspondent Christopher Lamb reflects on covering Pope Francis' papacy, explaining how the pontiff has treated the press differently than other popes.

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 reports on what it's like inside the basilica, where mourners are gathering to pay their respects. The Pope was later laid to rest at Rome's Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore following a massive funeral that drew over 250,000 mourners.

The funeral of Pope Francis has begun in Vatican City with thousands gathered from around the world. The pope was later laid to rest at Rome's Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore following a massive funeral that saw over 250,000 mourners in attendance, with a simple tomb featuring a cross and his papal name.

Pope Francis was laid to rest at Rome's Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore after a funeral attended by over 250,000 mourners. His tomb is simple, featuring a cross and his papal name. The pope's coffin was transported to the basilica in a procession through Rome.

Pope Francis' coffin was transported from St. Peter's Basilica to his final resting place at Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in a spectacular procession through Rome, with over 250,000 mourners in attendance. The pope was laid to rest in a simple tomb with a cross and his papal name inscribed.

The tomb of Pope Francis was opened to visitors at St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome, where thousands of Roman Catholic faithful lined up to pay their respects. A simple white tomb with the pope's name in Latin, "Franciscus," was adorned with a single white rose and a reproduction of his pectoral cross. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state and a possible contender to be the next pope, delivered a homily at a special Mass at St. Peter's Basilica, emphasizing God's mercy as a central focus of the late pontiff's teachings. Around 200,000 people attended the Mass, including many young people who had originally come to Rome for the canonization of Carlo Acutis. The cardinals will meet regularly this week ahead of the conclave to elect the next pope, expected to start between May 5 and May 10.

Thousands of pilgrims have traveled to Rome to pay their respects to the late Pope Francis, queuing for hours to visit his tomb in the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica. Over 30,000 people visited the tomb on the first morning after the Pope's funeral, with many expressing a sense of gratitude and celebration of his life. The pilgrims, including nuns, priests, tourists, and locals, came from various parts of the world, including Slovenia and Ukraine, to honor the late pontiff, whom many described as a source of inspiration and a symbol of mercy and love.

Following Pope Francis's death on Easter Monday, 137 cardinal electors will gather in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel for a papal conclave to elect a new pope. Some of the contenders to become the next head of the Catholic Church include Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state, who is considered the frontrunner if the next pontiff is Italian; Matteo Zuppi, the president of the Episcopal Conference of Italy and Archbishop of Bologna; Jose Tolentino de Mendonca, the prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education; Peter Erdo, a Hungarian cardinal; Cristobal Lopez Romero, the Spanish Archbishop of Rabat; and Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. The cardinals will choose from among themselves, with only those under the age of 80 eligible to participate in the conclave.

The College of Cardinals will convene for a papal conclave to elect the next leader of the Catholic Church after Pope Francis' death. The process is vastly different from US elections, with cardinals voting through secret ballots and a two-thirds majority required for election. The cardinals will be "locked away" from media and influences, and the outcome is uncertain. Some of the top contenders include Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, and American Cardinal Raymond Burke. The conclave's unique process and the diverse backgrounds of the cardinals make it difficult to predict the next pope, with "anything could happen," according to an expert.

Cardinals from around the world will gather for a conclave to choose the next pope, a process that will decide the direction of the Roman Catholic Church. CNN is keeping an eye on five cardinals as potential candidates, according to CNN's Nic Robertson.

Cardinal electors are gathering in Rome for a series of closed-door meetings ahead of a conclave to elect the next pope, expected to take place as early as May 6. The meetings, known as general congregations, provide an opportunity for cardinals to gauge each other's priorities and charisma, but the unwritten rule is that there is no open campaigning for the papacy. Instead, potential candidates must subtly demonstrate their leadership qualities without appearing to seek the position. Cardinals such as Pietro Parolin and Luis Antonio Tagle are considered to be among the top contenders, with Parolin having given a homily at a Mass for young people on Sunday, praising Francis and hinting at his own vision for the church's future. The conclave will ultimately decide who will succeed Francis, with the successful candidate needing to strike a balance between continuity with Francis' legacy and addressing the church's ongoing challenges.