When is Pope Francis’s funeral? What to expect and how to watch live
Pope Francis, who died on Monday after suffering a stroke and cardiac arrest, will be laid to rest this weekend.
Tens of thousands of worshippers have been waiting in line to see the late pontiff as he lies in state in St Peter’s Basilica.
What time is the Pope’s funeral?
The funeral of Pope Francis will take place at 9am (10am local time) on Saturday in the square in front of St Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican has announced.
Tradition dictates that a pope’s funeral must take place between four and six days after their death, except in the case of unspecified “special reasons”, according to rules established in 1996.
There is an official nine-day period of mourning from the day of the pontiff’s death.
At least 200,000 people are expected to pack into St Peter’s Square on Saturday for the Pope’s final farewell, according to Italy’s Department of Civil Protection.
Lying in state
The body of Pope Francis was carried from his Vatican residence to St Peter’s Basilica in a solemn procession on Wednesday.
The 88-year-old Argentine pontiff will lie in state until his funeral to allow Catholics from across the world to pay their respects in person.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican’s Camerlengo, or chamberlain, will then preside over the rite of the sealing of the Pope’s coffin on Friday evening.
What to expect from the funeral service
The funeral mass will be presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old Dean of the College of Cardinals.
He will be joined by patriarchs, cardinals, archbishops, bishops and priests from around the world. The funeral will also mark the beginning of the Novemdiales, an ancient tradition of nine days of mourning and masses for the repose of the late Pope’s soul.
Among the world leaders who have already confirmed their attendance are Prince William; Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister; Donald Trump, the US president; and Emmanuel Macron, the French president.
How to watch the Pope’s funeral
Viewers in the UK will be able to watch the Pope’s funeral on The Telegraph’s livestream, which will appear at the top of our live blog on Saturday.
Live coverage of the ceremony will also be accessible on the Vatican’s YouTube channel and across all main TV news services. A BBC News Special will begin from 8.30am, while Sky News will broadcast from 7am.
Where will the Pope be buried?
Pope Francis revealed his last wishes in his will, asking to be buried in a simple, unadorned tomb inside his beloved Roman basilica, Santa Maria Maggiore.
In the document, which was dated June 29 2022 and published by the Vatican on Monday, he wrote: “Feeling that the sunset of my earthly life is approaching and with lively hope in eternal life, I wish to express my testamentary will only as regards the place of my burial.”
It continued: “I ask that my mortal remains rest awaiting the day of the resurrection in the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.”
Francis also specified exactly where his tomb should be placed, even including a diagram of the basilica’s side nave, and confirmed that burial expenses had been arranged in advance.
“The tomb must be in the earth; simple, without particular decoration and with the only inscription: Franciscus,” he added.