The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis will be laid to rest on Saturday.
The pontiff passed away on Easter Monday due to a stroke and heart failure, following a prolonged illness.
According to traditions established in 1966 and reaffirmed in subsequent updates, a pope’s burial typically occurs between the fourth and sixth day after death, allowing time for essential rites and ceremonies.
On Tuesday, the Holy See press office confirmed that Pope Francis’ body would be transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday, where it will lie in state until the funeral on Saturday morning. Cardinal Giovanni Battista, dean of the College of Cardinals, will lead the funeral mass, joined by patriarchs, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests from around the world.
In his final wishes, Pope Francis requested a simple burial, marked only by the inscription “Franciscus.” He also noted that an anonymous benefactor would cover the cost of his funeral. His will, drafted in 2022, outlined these preferences.
The last pope to pass away while in office was Pope John Paul II, who died on April 2, 2005. His successor, Pope Benedict XVI, resigned in 2013—the first papal resignation since 1294. Benedict XVI later died on December 31, 2022, at the age of 95.
Pope Francis, who succeeded Benedict XVI, passed away at the age of 88. He made history as the first Latin American and Jesuit pope and chose the name Francis in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi.