Pope Francis to Be Buried at St. Mary Major Basilica Following Saturday Funeral

In the days leading up to the funeral, the late pope’s body will lie in state at St. Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful can pay their final respects. He will lie in state from Wednesday morning until the funeral Saturday morning, following the rite of translation on Wednesday, April 23, which will begin at 9 a.m. A procession will pass through Santa Marta Square and the Square of the Roman Protomartyrs before entering the basilica through the central door, according to the Holy See Press Office. 

The papal funeral will follow the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, the Vatican’s official liturgical text for papal funerals, which was updated at Francis’ request in 2024. The late pope’s face, his body having been placed in a simple wooden coffin lined with zinc, is covered with a silk veil. 

The funeral is the first in nine days of Masses offered for the repose of his soul, known as the “Novendiales.” Each day, a cardinal chosen by the late pope will preside over a Requiem Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. 

Courtney Mares is a Rome Correspondent for Catholic News Agency. A graduate of Harvard University, she has reported from news bureaus on three continents and was awarded the Gardner Fellowship for her work with North Korean refugees.