The world is getting ready to say a final farewell to Pope Francis. The funeral for Pope Francis will take place on Saturday, April 26, starting at 10 a.m. local time in Rome, 4 a.m. ET, and 1 a.m. PT.
Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images
How to Watch Pope Francis’ Funeral:
- Date: Saturday, April 26, 2025
- Time: 4:00 AM ET
- Channel: NBC, ABC, CBS (Various outlets)
- Stream: FuboTV (watch for free)
The service will be held in the iconic St. Peter’s Square, just five days after the Vatican announced Pope Francis’ passing at 88 years old, on April 21, the day after Easter. In the days leading up to the funeral, thousands of visitors have paid their respects as the Pope lies in rest at St. Peter’s Basilica, dressed in traditional red robes, a bishop’s miter, and a rosary in hand.
Leaders from across the world will be attending the service, and religious figures spanning the globe. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will be in attendance, former President Joe Biden and former First Lady Jill Biden are expected to attend, along with cardinals, archbishops, patriarchs, bishops, and priests from around the globe.
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, will lead the funeral Mass. In classic Francis fashion, he modernized the funeral rituals before his passing, cutting down the number of coffins and allowing popes to be laid to rest somewhere other than St. Peter’s Basilica.
The funeral will include a traditional Eucharistic celebration, honoring the Last Supper. As the Mass concludes, two important Latin rites will take place: the “Ultima commendatio” (“final recommendation”) and the “Valedictio” (“farewell”). These solemn moments mark the official start of the “Novemdiales,” nine days of mourning.
Finally, per his wishes, Pope Francis will be laid to rest not in St. Peter’s Basilica, but in the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, another sacred site with history and meaning.
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