Pope Francis’ funeral will happen five days after the Vatican announced his death at 88 years old on April 21, the day after Easter.
A series of funeral rites have already begun in order to honor the pope’s legacy and mourn his death.
On April 23, Francis’ body was moved to St. Peter’s Basilica, where his body is laying in rest in an open casket — dressed in red robes, a bishop’s miter and a rosary clasped in hand — so that visitors can pay their final respects.
His body will be moved for his funeral before being laid to rest.
Here’s everything to know about Pope Francis’ funeral, when it will happen and how to watch live.
The body of Pope Francis lies in state inside St. Peter’s Basilica in The Vatican, on April 23, 2025. Alessandro Di Meo / AFP – Getty Images
What day is the funeral of Pope Francis?
Pope Francis’ funeral services will take place on Saturday, April 26 — five days after the Vatican announced his death — in St. Peter’s Square.
Until then, his casket is in St. Peter’s Basilica so “the faithful may pay their respects,” the Vatican said.
What time is Pope Francis’ funeral?
His funeral begins at 10 a.m. local time in Rome. This is 4 a.m. EST/1 a.m. PST.
Where to watch Pope Francis’ funeral
NBC and Peacock will broadcast and stream the pope’s funeral live, as will other networks like CBS, CNN and ABC. Outlets like The New York Times, Disney+, Hulu and the Vatican News YouTube channel also plan to stream it live.
Viewers international can also view the services. In the United Kingdom, tune into the BBC or Sky News. In Canada, CBC Television and CTV will show the funeral. In Brazil, Globo News and CNN Brasil will show it, while viewers in Spain can see it on Televisión Española’s channel 24 Horas.
What will happen at the funeral?
While many cardinals, archbishops, patriarchs, bishops and priests are expected to attend the funeral at St. Peter’s Basilica, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, will lead the funeral Mass.
A faithful holds an Osservatore Romano newspaper with Pope Francis’s picture and takes part in a rosary prayer in tribute to the former Pope in the Vatican, on April 22, 2025.Massimo Valicchia/NurPhoto / Getty Images
Francis changed the pope’s funeral process when he revised some of the rituals late last year. This included reducing the number of coffins that the pope’s body is placed into and allowing the pope to be laid to rest in a place other than St. Peter’s Basilica.
The Mass will follow a Eucharistic celebration (meaning bread and wine will be consumed like Jesus’ last supper). According to the Vatican, the Mass will end with the “Ultima commendatio,” which translates from Latin to “a final recommendation,” and the “Valedictio,” which translates from Latin to “farewell.”
The Ultima commendatio and the Valedictio will signify the start of the “Novemdiales,” a nine-day mourning period. His body will be buried in the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, as was Pope Francis’ wish.
