On Wednesday, Pope Francis’s open coffin was moved to St. Peter’s Basilica, where it will lie in state for three days as mourners from around the world gather to honor the beloved leader of the Catholic Church.
As the wooden coffin was carried through St. Peter’s Square, the basilica’s bells rang out. Red-robed cardinals and Swiss Guards escorted the procession past crowds of pilgrims and tourists, many of whom took photos or clapped quietly in tribute. The 88-year-old pontiff passed away Monday at the Santa Marta residence following a stroke.
His body had been resting in the chapel of Santa Marta, where he lived throughout his 12-year papacy. It now rests in the basilica in front of the Altar of the Confession, under Bernini’s towering bronze baldacchino and Michelangelo’s iconic dome. Unlike previous popes, Francis’s coffin rests on a simple, low bier—reflecting his humility.
Among the mourners was 33-year-old Anna Montoya from Mexico. “I had to be here,” she said. “He felt like family to me. He was a good man, someone who showed what the Church could be—what Jesus really taught.”
The funeral, set for Saturday, is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of people, including world leaders such as U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Britain’s Prince William. After the service, the pope will be laid to rest at his favorite church—Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome—with a modest inscription simply reading: Franciscus.
Italy has declared five days of national mourning. That’s longer than the three days observed for Pope John Paul II in 2005, but less than the week declared in Francis’s native Argentina. With a public holiday falling on Friday, Italian authorities are bracing for a massive turnout, deploying barriers and security measures and handing out water to help people cope with the spring heat.
Pasquale Apolito, a 43-year-old teacher from Rome, said he made a spontaneous decision to visit St. Peter’s Square. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to see him, but I felt this deep need to come. He was someone who really listened. We’ll miss him deeply.”
Meanwhile, preparations are underway behind the scenes to choose a new pope. The Vatican has sent letters summoning cardinals under 80 years of age back to Rome for the conclave, which must begin between 15 and 20 days after the pope’s death. On Tuesday, about 60 cardinals already in Rome met to set the funeral date, with another meeting planned for Wednesday afternoon. The sessions are led by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo, who oversees the Vatican’s day-to-day operations during the interregnum.
Francis’s passing came less than a month after his release from the hospital, where he had been treated for pneumonia. Though advised to rest, he continued public appearances, often looking visibly tired. On Easter Sunday, the day before his death, he rode through St. Peter’s Square in his popemobile after Mass, greeting the faithful and kissing babies.
He died the next morning at 7:35 a.m., following a stroke, a coma, and heart failure, according to his official death certificate.
“It’s very hard,” said Sister Maria Guadeloupe Hernandez Olivo, visiting from Mexico. “I didn’t expect it. I know he’s no longer in pain, but there’s an emptiness now—for our pastor.”