At 9:45 p.m. in Rome, 12 hours before Pope Francis’ funeral, the first of thousands of pilgrims were already lining the streets to glimpse the late pontiff as his body made its way to his final resting place at the Basilica of St. Mary Major.

Join us in prayer for the Funeral Mass of Pope Francis from St. Peter's Basilica.

Pope Francis’ coffin will be sealed in a liturgical rite this evening ahead of his solemn funeral, set to take place the next morning on Saturday, April 26.

Among Peter's 265 successors, 30 have been buried outside of the Vatican. Pope Francis will also be buried outside the Vatican, in St. Mary Major's Basilica.

For many it was a surprise when former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio stepped out onto the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica on March 13, 2013. His clothes had changed… as had his name.

After more than five weeks in the hospital battling double pneumonia, doctors advised Pope Francis to take two months of rest. However, the Holy Father chose to be among the faithful until his final days. 

Pope Francis passed away on April 21, 2025—Easter Monday, also called Monday of the Angel. His death, filled with symbolic meaning, reflects a life deeply united with Christ. Here are some "God-incidences" that offer a profound spiritual message.

COMMENTARY: Of all the great basilicas of Rome, the one dedicated to the Blessed Mother was his favorite.

Of the many devotions Pope Francis promoted during his pontificate, perhaps none is better known than his devotion to Our Lady, Undoer of Knots (also referred to as Our Lady, Untier of Knots), whose feast day is observed Sept. 28.

Prisoners always held a special place in Pope Francis’ heart, and he demonstrated his love for them throughout his pontificate, until the end.

The Catholic personal prelature Opus Dei has significantly reduced the scope of its two-week general congress that began this week due to the death of Pope Francis two days before the assembly’s scheduled start date.

Following the death of Pope Francis, the Vatican has announced which cardinals will offer the traditional “Novendialies” Masses — nine days of mourning marked by solemn Masses offered for the repose of the soul of the deceased pope.

Like his post-Vatican II predecessors, Pope Francis prioritized outreach to non-Catholics, fostering dialogue and Christian unity throughout his 12-year pontificate, marked by several historic ecumenical moments.

Father Arturo Sosa, SJ, superior general of the Society of Jesus, reflected on the first Jesuit pope in a press conference on Thursday, saying Francis “did not seek to please everyone” or to measure himself by a popularity index.

Cardinal Angelo Becciu is reportedly seeking to participate in the upcoming conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor despite having been stripped of his cardinalatial privileges in 2020 and later convicted of financial crimes.

Pope Francis will be buried at St. Mary Major's: Who are the popes buried outside Vatican Walls?

Having cared for the aging Pope Francis as his personal nurse since 2022, Italian nurse Massimiliano Strappetti was among the few people who saw the Holy Father moments before his death on Easter Monday.

Pope Francis was brought in solemn procession to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning, where the late pontiff will lie in state for three days for mourners to pay their final respects and say goodbye.

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, marked his patron saint’s feast every year on April 23 with acts of charity. The day was a Vatican holiday in his honor.

Thousands of Catholics said their last goodbyes and paid their respects to Pope Francis on Wednesday as the late pope lay in state in St. Peter’s Basilica.

In the endless lines of pilgrims wishing to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, whose coffin now lies open in St. Peter’s Basilica, feelings of grief and sadness are the order of the day.

The College of Cardinals saw a significant increase in attendance at Wednesday's General Congregation, with 103 cardinals now present in Rome — nearly double the approximately 60 who participated in Tuesday's initial gathering.

Pope Francis greeted the faithful around the world for the last time from St. Peter’s Basilica on the most important day for Christians: Easter, the heart and foundation of the Catholic faith that proclaims Christ’s triumph over sin and death.

“He said he was praying for us, blessed us, and thanked us for our prayers,” said Father Gabriel Romanelli, summarizing Pope Francis’ call on April 19, just before the Easter Vigil at St. Peter’s Basilica.