The funeral of Pope Francis is set to take place on Saturday, 26 April at 10:00 local time (09:00 BST), the Vatican has officially announced.
The ceremony is expected to draw global attention, with world leaders, dignitaries and thousands of catholic faithful expected to attend the solemn occasion.
The Holy See confirmed the date and time in a brief statement, noting that further details regarding the funeral rites, attendees, and preparations will be shared in due course.
Traditionally held in St. Peter’s Square, papal funerals are marked by a series of ancient rites and prayers, drawing pilgrims from across the world to pay their final respects to the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church.
The Bishop of Rome and the Head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis died at the age of 88 on April 21, 2025.
The pontiff became pope in 2013 after his predecessor Benedict XVI resigned.
Pope Francis’ death was announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell in a statement released by the Vatican.
In recent years, his papacy had been marked by several hospital visits and concerns about his health.
On 14 February, the Pope was admitted to hospital for bronchitis treatment.
In the days that followed, the Vatican said he had been diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia and that he had blood transfusions after tests revealed he had low levels of platelets in his blood, which is associated with anaemia.
On 22 February, it said the Pope was in a critical condition after a “prolonged respiratory crisis” that required a high flow of oxygen, and the next day the Vatican said Francis was showing an “initial, mild” kidney failure.
In the following days, thousands of faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square to pray for his recovery, as others went to the Rome hospital where he was staying to leave flowers and cards.
He remained in hospital for the rest of the month, with doctors saying that his condition remained “complex”.
On 6 March, his voice was heard for the first time since being admitted to hospital in an audio message, in which he thanked well-wishers, before adding: “I am with you from here.”
On Sunday, he greeted crowds at the Easter Sunday Service, a day after meeting US vice president JD Vance.
His 38-day hospital stay ended on 23 March when he made his first public appearance in five weeks on a balcony at Gemelli where he smiled and gave a thumbs up to the crowds gathered outside.
He returned to the Vatican, making a surprise stop at his favourite basilica on the way home, before beginning two months of prescribed rest and recovery.
Doctors said Francis would have access to supplemental oxygen and 24-hour medical care as needed – adding that while the pneumonia infection had been successfully treated, the pontiff would continue to take oral medication for quite some time to treat the fungal infection in his lungs and continue his respiratory and physical physiotherapy.
As catholics around the world prepare to mourn the Pontiff, eyes are also on Conclave as it would soon elect a new Pope to leas the church.
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