Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 following a stroke that led to heart failure, will be buried on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at 10:00 AM in St. Peter’s Square. The funeral ceremony will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re and will include the traditional rites of “Ultima commendatio” and “Valedictio”.
In a notable departure from Vatican tradition, Pope Francis requested not to be buried in St. Peter’s Basilica, but in Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome. This decision reflects his deep devotion to the Virgin Mary and his desire for a simple, modest burial.
He will be laid to rest in a simple wooden coffin covered with zinc, inscribed only with his papal name, Franciscus, in Latin. Unlike previous practice, where popes were interred in three coffins (wood, lead, and oak), Francis chose a more humble approach for his final resting place.
Pope Francis will become the first pope in nearly 150 years not to be buried in St. Peter’s Basilica. The last pope to break this tradition was Pope Pius IX, who was initially buried in St. Peter’s but later moved to San Lorenzo fuori le Mura Basilica.
