The press service of the Holy See officially confirmed that the funeral of Pope Francis has been scheduled for Saturday, April 26.
Points of attention
- Preparations for the pontiff's funeral include transferring his body to St. Peter's Basilica and then to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for burial.
- In light of the event, flights over Rome have been restricted to ensure a solemn atmosphere.
Pope Francis' funeral date announced
Dozens of world leaders are expected to join the funeral ceremony, which will take place on April 26.
The Vatican has officially confirmed that a memorial mass will begin at 10:00 a.m. local time in St. Peter's Square, to be celebrated by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.
After that, the coffin with the pontiff's body will be transferred to St. Peter's Basilica, and from there to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for burial.
As previously mentioned, Pope Francis passed away on April 21 at 7:35 a.m. in his Vatican apartment. He was 88 years old at the time of his death.
The Vatican immediately announced that the cause of the pontiff's death was a stroke.
Many world leaders, including Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump, have announced their intentions to travel to the Vatican for the farewell ceremony with the pontiff.
What is important to understand is that for the head of the White House, this will be his first foreign visit during his second presidential term.
During the preparations for the pontiff's funeral, aircraft flights over Rome were banned.
