In a moving and historic farewell, hundreds of thousands gathered at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City on Saturday to honour Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88. From royalty and world leaders to the poor and marginalized whom he championed during his papacy, mourners came together to celebrate the life of the pontiff who reshaped the Catholic Church.
Applause filled the square as pallbearers carried Francis’s simple wooden coffin, marked only by a large cross, out of St. Peter’s Basilica into the bright Roman morning. After the funeral mass, the coffin was carried back inside the basilica before being transported to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, where he will be laid to rest during a private ceremony.
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re delivered the eulogy, describing Pope Francis as “a pope among the people,” whose openness, warmth, and informal approach made him beloved not only among Catholics but across the world. Re praised Francis’s willingness to embrace the anxieties and hopes of a globalized world, recalling particularly his courageous 2021 trip to Iraq, where he sought to bring healing to a nation torn by conflict.
The funeral drew mourners from every corner of society. U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, European Union leaders, and royalty including Prince William attended the service. Even on the sidelines of mourning, diplomacy unfolded, with Trump, Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer holding a “positive” meeting.
The ceremony reflected the priorities Pope Francis held dear: a deep concern for the poor, prisoners, migrants, and the marginalized. Tens of thousands of ordinary pilgrims, many camping out overnight, flocked to the Vatican to pay their respects. Mourners spoke with emotion, describing Francis as a grandfatherly figure who would be missed not only for his leadership but also for his humanity and simplicity.
Throughout the past three days, some 250,000 people filed past his body in St. Peter’s Basilica. Among the clergy, the funeral was attended by 220 cardinals, 750 bishops, and over 4,000 priests. Though vast in scale, the funeral lasted about 90 minutes — a reflection of Francis’s desire for a simple and humble departure, contrasting with the grand three-hour service for John Paul II.
Breaking tradition, Pope Francis requested to be buried in a single, zinc-lined wooden coffin, rejecting the three-tiered burial caskets used for previous popes. In another significant break, he chose to be buried outside the Vatican, becoming the first pope in over a century to do so. His final resting place is the ancient Basilica of St. Mary Major, where a simple inscription, “Franciscus,” now marks his tomb.
As his funeral motorcade moved through Rome, thousands lined the streets to say their final goodbye. Security across the city was unprecedented, with Italy closing its airspace and deploying anti-aircraft defenses to ensure the funeral remained peaceful and dignified.
Pope Francis’s passing marks the end of an era in which he pushed for transparency, advocated for the environment, and stood firmly with society’s most vulnerable. While he won widespread admiration, his reforms were often met with resistance from traditionalists within the Church.
Now, attention turns to the secretive conclave that will elect his successor. Cardinals will begin preliminary meetings in the coming days, though the official election process may not start until after May 6. As the Church prepares for its next chapter, it does so mourning a leader whose humility, compassion, and courage left a profound mark on both his faith and the world.