Pope Francis Bids Goodbye; Funeral Attended by World Leaders

Following a funeral ceremony in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis was laid to rest inside his favourite church in Rome, the Vatican announced on Saturday. Today at 1:30 pm (IST), Pope Francis’s funeral got underway in the Vatican’s magnificent Baroque piazza in front of St. Peter’s Basilica. He will be laid to rest in Rome’s Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica. The celebration honouring the Catholic leader is being attended by numerous foreign leaders. Guests included US President Donald Trump and President Droupadi Murmu.

Authorities in Italy and the Vatican have launched a significant security operation. Up to 200,000 people have attended the burial. Francis took over as pope after Pope Benedict XVI resigned in 2013, and the burial marks the start of nine days of formal Vatican mourning for him.

The funeral of Pope Francis

On Saturday morning, Pope Francis’ funeral started at 10 a.m. local time, or approximately 1:30 p.m. IST. His casket will be carried to the public piazza from St. Peter’s Basilica. Along with 220 cardinals, 750 bishops and priests at the altar, and more than 4,000 priests in the square, Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re will preside over the burial liturgy.

The Pope’s casket was brought for burial after the funeral mass ended at 11:45 am local time. Approximately 3:15 pm IST. According to the Vatican, Pope Francis will be laid to rest in a private burial, and his tomb will be accessible to the public starting Sunday morning.

Weeks after returning home from a battle with double pneumonia, Pope Francis passed away on April 21 at the age of 88 from a stroke. The pontiff’s final appearance was on Easter, just 20 hours before he passed away. It indeed reminded everyone of the value of life and urged them to rekindle their hope for peace.

The Event in a Nutshell

1. The Pontiff was especially devoted to the Virgin Mary, whose favourite icon is located in the church where he was buried.
2. His popularity worldwide was demonstrated by the fact that heads of more than 50 nations attended the funeral. The funeral was attended by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and US President Donald Trump. President Droupadi Murmu represented India.
3. Tens of thousands of people lined up in the streets of Rome for the papal procession. Over 2,50,000 attended the funeral at St. Peter’s Square.
4. The casket was taken to St. Peter’s Basilica. It is the procession to the ultimate resting place began following the two-hour and ten-minute funeral liturgy.
5. Before and after each international trip, the pope prayed in the same Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. There he was interred in an underground tomb in Rome.
6. The public would be able to pay their condolences at a rosary outside the Basilica. Starting on Sunday morning, even if his burial was kept hidden from the public.