The Pope will have a simple funeral, as he wanted. Leaders start gathering at 8:30 a.m., followed by priests in St. Peter's Square. Cardinals meet half an hour later at Saint Sebastian Chapel inside the church. They will walk with the coffin, which spent four days in St. Peter's Basilica.
The funeral starts at 10 when they place the coffin in front of the church. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re leads the service with guests seated near the basilica. Officials expect 250,000 people, with 170 world leaders coming. Prince William represents King Charles as other leaders like President Trump attend.
After the service, workers will take the body to Santa Maria Maggiore church for burial. The route passes the Colosseum, making Francis the first pope since 1903 to be buried outside the Vatican walls. Francis asked for a simple wooden coffin with zinc inside instead of three ornate ones. He chose this church because he loved the Virgin Mary icon inside.
The funeral starts at 10 when they place the coffin in front of the church. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re leads the service with guests seated near the basilica. Officials expect 250,000 people, with 170 world leaders coming. Prince William represents King Charles as other leaders like President Trump attend.
After the service, workers will take the body to Santa Maria Maggiore church for burial. The route passes the Colosseum, making Francis the first pope since 1903 to be buried outside the Vatican walls. Francis asked for a simple wooden coffin with zinc inside instead of three ornate ones. He chose this church because he loved the Virgin Mary icon inside.
