About a quarter of a million mourners have filed past the body of Pope Francis over the past three days to pay their final respects, as Vatican City today marks the beginning of the next chapter in the papal rites for the late pontiff, who passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88.
Dozens of world leaders and thousands of faithful are gathered in St Peter’s Square for the funeral service, which begins at 10:00 local time (09:00 BST).
The outdoor mass is expected to last an hour and a half and will be followed by a ceremonial procession to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, where Francis will be laid to rest.
The first Jesuit Pope, and the first from the Southern Hemisphere, Francis—born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina—shaped a legacy that defied tradition and embraced the modern world.
Elected in 2013, many saw him as a compromise candidate: traditional in matters of doctrine but boldly progressive on social justice, climate action, and interfaith dialogue.
Preparations are already underway for the conclave, the sacred process in which cardinals from around the globe will elect his successor. A nine-day mourning period will follow the funeral, in accordance with Vatican custom.
As bells toll and prayers rise from the heart of Christendom, the world bids farewell to a Pope who, in life and in death, symbolised both continuity and change for the Roman Catholic Church.
