The funeral for Pope Francis, pontiff from March 13, 2013, until his death on April 21, will be held on Saturday morning in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

With the death of Pope Francis on Monday, the Catholic Church has entered a mourning period, which will include nine days of Masses offered for the repose of his soul known as the “Novendiales.” 

At the first general congregation of cardinals in Rome on Tuesday, the estimated 60 cardinals in attendance chose the date of Pope Francis’ funeral and suspended beatification celebrations.

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

As of this moment, the chair of St. Peter is vacant — and you may have seen the phrases “sede vacante” and “interregnum” being used to describe the present period. Here’s a breakdown of what those phrases mean.

Words of Francis: Many saw Pope Francis as a grandfatherly figure, especially when he shared bits of practical wisdom on how to get along with one another.

Cardinal William Goh celebrated a memorial Mass for Pope Francis in Singapore on Tuesday, saying the late Holy Father had a “heart for everyone” and was dedicated to leading the Church toward a “new evangelization” through mercy and love.

The start of a papal interregnum brings many terms that may not be familiar to many people, including many Catholics. Here are some of the key words and phrases that will be used throughout the interregnum, especially the conclave to elect the new pope.

Pope Francis’ last public act was a blessing of the entire world on Easter Sunday, delivered from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica — the same place where he was introduced as pope 12 years ago.

The Vatican on Tuesday released the first photos of Pope Francis after his death, showing him dressed in red vestments and lying in a simple wooden coffin inside the chapel of the Santa Marta guesthouse.