250,000 people attend funeral of Pope Francis, says Vatican

Coffin of Pope Francis with the Gospel. April 26, 2025. Photo: vaticannews

On April 26, 2025, 250,000 people from around the world, including several heads of state and government leaders, attended the funeral of Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, according to Vatican News.

It was noted that the solemn Latin-language Liturgy was conducted following a simplified version of the Roman Pontiffs' funeral rite, which had been updated in 2024 at the initiative of Pope Francis.

The funeral of Pope Francis was held according to his personal will, with some departures from tradition. Instead of the customary three coffins (made of cypress, lead, and oak), the Pope had requested the use of a single wooden coffin lined with zinc.

Francis also wished to be buried not in St. Peter’s Basilica, as is customary, but in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, a church he held dear, located outside the Vatican.

The farewell service took place at St. Peter’s Basilica, from where the Pope’s body was carried through the "door of death" to the sound of a 10-ton funeral bell.

In his homily addressing the 250,000 pilgrims, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who led the ceremony, expressed deep gratitude to all those who came to the Vatican – heads of state, government delegations, church and civil authorities, the faithful, and representatives of other religions.

According to him, “their presence was a visible sign of love and respect for the Pope, who left a profound mark on the minds and hearts of his contemporaries.”

The funeral ceremony was attended by primates and representatives of the Patriarchates of Constantinople, Antioch, Jerusalem, Russia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, and Alexandria, as well as the Churches of Cyprus, Greece, Albania, North Macedonia, the Czech Lands and Slovakia, and the Orthodox Church in America.

As previously reported by the UOJ, the Vatican broadcast the funeral of Pope Francis live in 15 languages.

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