The coffin of Pope Francis is carried in front of dignitaries during his funeral in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Gregorio Borgia/AP)
World dignitaries and Catholic faithful have attended Pope Francis’ funeral in St. Peter’s Square. Despite the presence of presidents and princes, prisoners and migrants ushered him into the basilica where he will be buried, reflecting his priorities as pope. The Vatican said Saturday about 250,000 people have flocked to the pope’s funeral Mass.
Pope Francis died on April 21st at the age of 88. Born in Argentina as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, he was the first Latin American and the first Jesuit to become Pope when elected in 2013. Taking the name Francis after St Francis of Assisi, he promoted a more humble version of the papacy than many of his predecessors. He will be buried outside of the Vatican in a simple wooden coffin at the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore.
A view of the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, April 26, 2025. (Alessandra Tarantino/AP)A nun holds a phot of Pope Francis while attending his funeral in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, April 26, 2025. (Andreea Alexandru/AP)
Nuns and faithfuls gather during the funeral of Pope Francis in Via della Conciliazione on April 26, 2025 in Rome, Italy. Pope Francis died on April 21st at the age of 88. (Mario Tama/Getty)Members of the clergy attend the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square on April 26, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Dan Kitwood/Getty)Pallbearers carry the coffin during the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, April 26, 2025. (Markus Schreiber/AP)
Members of the faithful gather during the funeral of Pope Francis in Via della Conciliazione on April 26, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Mario Tama/Getty)People line the streets as the coffin of Pope Francis is transported to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for burial on April 26, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Christopher Furlong/Getty)A girl, among the first in a line of thousands, waits to enter St. Peter’s Square for the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Gianni Cipiriano/The New York Times)
The coffin containing the body of late Pope Francis is brought inside St. Peter’s Basilica at the end of his solemn funeral in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, April 26, 2025. (Vatican Media via AP)A representative group described by the Vatican as the “poor and needy” welcome the coffin of Pope Francis as it arrives at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore on April 26, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Christopher Furlong/Getty)Pope Francis’s funeral procession motorcade, departed from the Vatican, passes by the Colosseum in Rome on April 26, 2025. (Gianni Cipriano/The New York Times)
A priest stands in front of the many dignitaries and heads of state attending the funeral of Pope Francis, at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City on April 26, 2025. (Eric Lee/The New York Times)Cardinals gather at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City for the funeral of Pope Francis on April 26, 2025. (James Hill/The New York Times)Dean of the College of Cardinals Giovanni Battista Re blesses the coffin during the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, April 26, 2025. (Alessandra Tarantino/AP)
Faithful pray during the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, April 26, 2025. (Emilio Morenatti/AP)The coffin of Pope Francis arrives at St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome Saturday, April 26, 2025. (Francisco Seco/AP)Faithful listen to mass during the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, April 26, 2025. (Emilio Morenatti/AP)
The coffin of Pope Francis is transported in front of the Colosseum on its way to St. Mary Major where he will be buried, Rome, April 26, 2025. (Mauro Scrobogna/LaPresse via AP)Dean of the College of Cardinals Giovanni Battista Re spreads incense around the coffin of Pope Francis during his funeral in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, April 26, 2025. (Gregorio Borgia/AP)The book of the Gospels lies on the coffin of Pope Francis during his funeral ceremony in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, April 26, 2025. (Alessandra Tarantino/AP)
A view of the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, April 26, 2025. (Gregorio Borgia/AP)Nuns and faithful listen to mass during the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, April 26, 2025. (Emilio Morenatti/AP)Archbishop Diego Giovanni Ravelli, kneeling right, presides over the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, April 26, 2025. (Evan Vucci/AP)
Former President Joe Biden, center, and his wife Jill arrive for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (Gregorio Borgia/AP)President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, April 26, 2025. (Markus Schreiber/AP)The coffin of Pope Francis is carried into St Peter’s Square for his funeral, at the Vatican, April 26, 2025. (Markus Schreiber/AP)
Clergy take their seats for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, April 26, 2025. (Markus Schreiber/AP)A nun smiles as she waits ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, April 26, 2025. (Emilio Morenatti/AP)The sun rises through a statue as people begin to take their seats in St. Peter’s Square, ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican, April 26, 2025. (Markus Schreiber/AP)
Vatican Master of Ceremonies Archbishop Diego Giovanni Ravelli covers the face of late Pope Francis with a silk cloth before closing his casket in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, April 25, 2025. (Vatican Media via AP)People wait in line to enter St. Peter’s Basilica where Pope Francis is lying in state, at the Vatican, April 25, 2025. (Bernat Armangue/AP)People stand in line as they wait to enter St. Peter’s Basilica to pay their respects to Pope Francis lying in state, at the Vatican, April 25, 2025. (Emilio Morenatti/AP)
A person takes a picture of a graffiti mural of Pope Francis, near the Vatican, April 25, 2025. (Francisco Seco/AP)People line up to pay their respects to Pope Francis lying in state, inside St. Peter’s Basilica, at the Vatican, April 25, 2025. (Andrew Medichini/AP)Priests and security personnel gather outside St. Peter’s Basilica where Pope Francis lying in state, at the Vatican, Friday, April 25, 2025. (Emilio Morenatti/AP)
Light pours into St Peters Basilica as the queue files past the late Pope Francis on April 25, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Francis, who died on April 21, is lying in state for the final day ahead of Saturday’s funeral in St. Peter’s Square. (Dan Kitwood/Getty)The queue files past the late Pope Francis on April 25, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Francis, who died on April 21 aged 88, is lying in state for a final day ahead of tomorrow’s funeral in St. Peter’s Square. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)Faithful join a long line outside St Peter’s Square to view the body of Pope Francis laying in state inside St Peter’s Basilica, on April 25, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Francis, who died on April 21 aged 88, is lying in state for a final day ahead of tomorrow’s funeral in St. Peter’s Square. (Photo by Antonio Masiello/Getty Images)
