Pope Francis funeral details revealed as cardinals gather in Vatican (2025)

Thanks for following our live coverage of the death of Pope Francis as we wrap up our live updates here.

Earlier, we reported the Pope's funeral plans with world leaders set to gather in Rome on Saturday to pay their final respects to Francis.

Tomorrow, members of the public will have the chance to see Francis lie in state on the first of three days.

Thanks again for joining us today and we'll see you again soon.

Read more here:

Hello and welcome to our live coveraege of the death of Pope Francis.

This morning, the Vatican has released video and photographs of Francis in an open coffin as cardinals gather to discuss his funeral arrangements.

Senior Catholic officials have confirmed the funeral will take place on Saturday at 10am local time (9am UK time)

It comes as world leaders declare they will attend the service with Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky all confirming they will be in Rome.

Read more here:

Following is a list of the main world leaders who have so far said they will attend Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday in Saint Peter's Square.

The Prince of Wales is to attend the Pope’s funeral on behalf of the King, Kensington Palace said.

Antoni Bohdanowicz, with his wife Jelena

A British tourist who had travelled to Rome for Holy Week has spoken of the sombre atmosphere in the city following the death of Pope Francis.

Antoni Bohdanowicz, 39, from Berkshire, had come to the Italian capital with his wife Jelena and her family as part of a pilgrimage as a tribute to her late mother.

The couple, who attended the Easter Sunday service in St Peter's Square, said they were shocked by the late pontiff's appearance as he greeted pilgrims and tourists from the popemobile.

Pope Francis, who was the first Latin American pontiff, died in the early hours of Easter Monday at the age of 88.

Mr Bohdanowicz, who is half Polish, said he returned to St Peter's Square to pay his respects.

'People on the square were touched, they were crying,' he said.

Mr Bohdanowicz, who is returning to the UK on Wednesday, said he hopes to pay his respects in St Peter's Basilica before he leaves.

Pope Francis is driven through the streets of Dublin in 2018

Discussions to bring Pope Francis to Northern Ireland were 'live and open' right up until shortly before his death, a priest who helped organise his historic 2018 visit to the island has said.

Father Tim Bartlett said Irish bishops had extended an “ongoing invitation” to the pontiff to come to the region after an initial proposal to journey north of the border seven years ago was shelved because of time pressures.

Fr Bartlett was one of the main co-ordinators of the World Meetings of Families that Francis attended in Dublin in August 2018. He also accompanied him as he made a trip to the west of Ireland to visit the Knock Shrine in Co Mayo.

The cleric, who is currently parish priest at St Mary’s church in Belfast city centre, said he believes one of the main reasons he was handed the key role was thanks to his understanding of Northern Ireland society and politics, given the original itinerary included a proposed papal stop in the region.

He said:

Africans are hoping one of their own could become the first black pope in modern history and build on Francis's legacy of championing the developing world, though the chances of that happening appear slim.

A continent where religion permeates most aspects of private and public life, Africa is where the Roman Catholic Church is growing fastest, according to Vatican figures published last month.

African Catholics attending services honouring Francis after his death on Monday said a Black pope was long overdue.

'To have a Black pope would revive the Christian faith in Africa and change people's views of Africa, by showing that an African can hold this office,' said Charles Yapi, a Catholic priest in Ivory Coast's commercial capital Abidjan.

Among African clerics tipped as potential popes are Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson, 76, Democratic Republic of Congo's Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, 65, the archbishop of Kinshasa, and Ivory Coast's Cardinal Ignace Bessi Dogbo, 63.

Africa boasted about 20% of the world's Catholics in 2023 and added 9 million worshippers the previous year.

Britain's Got Talent star Susan Boyle also paid tribute to Pope Francis, describing how performing in front of him was the 'honour and privilege of my life'.

The devout Catholic sang I Dreamed a Dream from the hit musical Les Misarables and When a Child Is Born for the Pontiff at the Vatican’s annual Christmas concert in 2019.

Lionel Richie and Bonnie Tylor were also at the event months before the pandemic.

Speaking in a video on social media, Boyle said:

Boyle also sang to Pope Benedict XVI during his four-day visit to the UK in 2010.

She performed three songs for his Holiness at Glasgow’s Bellahouston Park including the musical number which catapulted her to fame in the TV talent show.

Rangers ultras have been blasted for a 'disgusting' graffiti message about Pope Francis written hours after his death.

Members of the Union Bears' group defaced a motorwayside building with two messages after the pontiff's death aged 88 on Easter Monday.

Pope Francis 'passed away peacefully' at 7.35am, according to his doctors, after suffering a cerebral stroke and subsequent heart failure.

Rangers have traditionally been seen as a Protestant, Unionist club, while Celtic were founded by an Irish Catholic.

Read the full story by our sport reporter Luke Power here:

People will be able to pay their final respects to Pope Francis in St. Peter's Basilica from Wednesday through Friday, the Vatican said in a statement.

The pontiff, who died aged 88 on Monday, will lie in state inside his coffin.

Catholic faithful and the general public will be able to visit from 11am (10am UK time) to midnight on Wednesday, 7am to midnight on Thursday and 7am to 7pm on Friday.

Tourists have today packed the Vatican to take pictures and buy souvenirs and memorabilia following the death of Pope Francis.

Here are the latest pictures we can show you:

Following the death of Pope Francis at the age of 88, the Catholic Church must now begin the lengthy process of electing his successor.

Starting at least 15 days after his death, the 135 eligible cardinals will be locked away in the legendary Conclave until they have chosen the next pope.

But if you just can't wait for the world's most secretive election to run its course, MailOnline has used AI to predict the result.

Read the full story by science reporter Wiliam Hunter here:

A potential successor to Pope Francis has said he dies not expect to be elected at the coming conclave following a request to be released from his duties.

Anders Arborelius, 75, from Sweden, has been seen by some as a possible candidate to be elected to the papacy but has said he feels his appointment would be 'highly unlikely'.

Arborelius (pictured) confirmed he would take part in the conclave to elect the next pope but told Swedish public broadcaster SVT that he had asked Francis to release him from his duties as cardinal, because he wants to return to live in his monastery in southern Sweden.

He said the pope had approved his request but no date had been set for the end of his tenure which has left him 'hanging a little.'

Arborelius, a former Carmelite monk became the first Swedish Catholic bishop since the Protestant Reformation more than 500 years ago, was appointed as the Scandinavian country's first cardinal in 2017.

Sir Keir Starmer has said the 'outpouring of grief' following the death of Pope Francis reflects the 'high esteem' in which he was held.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the Prime Minister said the Pope was 'a quite remarkable man, and the work and commitment that he put into fairness over so many years, and globally, I think will be a real lasting legacy'.

He added:

In his statement reacting to the Pope's death on Monday, Starmer described Francis as having been 'a pope for the poor, the downtrodden and the forgotten'.

Pope Francis's death was front-page news around the world on Tuesday, with many outlets highlighting the Argentine pontiff's down-to-earth manner and notable policy changes.

Here is a selection of what Europe's press wrote:

El Pais lamented 'The end of a social and reformist papacy' while El Mundo, another national daily, hailed 'The pope who shook up the Church and wanted to give voice to the excluded'.

'Jorge Mario Bergoglio was an unusual pontiff, one who liked people. And people liked him,' news magazine Der Speigel wrote, using Francis's birth name.

'But was that enough to save his hard-hit church? In Germany and other Western societies, countless believers were hoping for real reforms from their pope,' it added, such as allowing women to be ordained priests.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung agreed, saying that 'compared to his predecessors, Francis almost seemed like a revolutionary. From the perspective of many Catholics in this country, however, he has changed too little.'

In Poland, Rzeczpospolita lamented the pope's death as 'one more factor that increases the instability in our world,' citing in particular the war in Ukraine and Donald Trump's re-election as US president.

The Gazeta Wyborcza noted that, with his varied statements on Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, 'he alienated himself from both Ukrainians and Russians, and the Vatican has no influence at all on how this conflict will end'.

Publico titled its front page with 'Francis, the favourite pope of the people and of atheists,' saying his 2013 election generated 'a tsunami of unprecedented enthusiasm... in both the Catholic and non-Catholic worlds'.

For the Jornal de Noticias, the pope was 'the seed of revolution' for the Church and the 'mentor of a spiritual transformation'.

Pope Francis reportedly told his personal nurse, 'thank you for bringing me back to the Square,' after he managed a final public appearance on Easter Sunday hours before his death.

Vatican News is reporting Francis expressed his gratitude to Massimiliano Strappetti, who was appointed to care for the pontiff in 2022.

Mr Strappetti (pictured above) remained by the Pope's side during his 38-day stay at Gemelli Hospital earlier this year and was behind the 88-year-old on Easter Sunday during the Urbi et Orbi blessing.

It is reported the men had reviewed the route Francis took in his popemobile the day before the event.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will attend the Pope’s funeral on Saturday, Downing Street has confirmed.

He will join world leaders Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky in Rome for the service.

Monarchies from around the world have shared tributes to Pope Francis following his death yesterday aged 88.

The pontiff 'passed away peacefully' at the Saint Martha residence in the Vatican on Monday, according to his doctors. The cause of death has since been confirmed as a stroke, leading to subsequent heart failure.

Royals across Europe and beyond will be expected to attend his funeral on Saturday at St Peter's Square - with King Phillipe and Queen Mathilde the first confirmed to attend.

Europe was quick to issue statements following the death of the beloved Pope, with royals including Princess Charlene and Prince Albert of Monaco, King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain and Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands all sending their condolences.

Read the full story by Eleanor Dye here:

The Italian government has declared five days of national mourning following the death of Pope Francis - longer than the three days observed for pope John Paul II in 2005.

The mourning will last until Saturday, when the 88-year-old Catholic leader's funeral will be held outside St Peter's Basilica, civil protection minister Nello Musumeci told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa will attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome, their spokespeople said Monday.

The heads of the European Commission and European Council will join other world leaders to mark the death of the Argentine pontiff.

Let's take a look at the current state of play regarding world leaders and their attendance:

Going

Not going

In one of his final acts, Pope Francis cleared the way for Papua New Guinea to get its first saint - an anti-polygamy preacher who died in prison during Japan's World War II occupation.

The late pontiff confided to religious leaders in the Pacific nation that he wanted to personally oversee the canonisation of "martyr" Peter To Rot.

However, that honour will fall to his successor.

Tomas Ravaioli, an Argentine missionary in Papua New Guinea who met with the pope when he visited in September last year (pictured), said:

To Rot was formally cleared for sainthood on March 31 when the Vatican issued decrees for the 'causes of saints'.

Attention is turning to who will replace Pope Francis in the Vatican with cardinals meeting to discuss plans for a conclave to elect his successor.

If you're unsure as to how it works, take a look at a video explainer below:

Catholic-majority Poland will observe a national day of mourning on Saturday when Pope Francis's funeral takes place, the presidency announced Tuesday.

'Following the death of the Holy Father, President Andrzej Duda has decided to decree the day of the funeral, April 26, a day of national mourning,' a statement read, adding that Duda and his wife would attend the ceremony.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome on Saturday, the government spokesman in Berlin said.

The chancellor will be joined by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who will lead Germany's delegation, the spokesman said on Tuesday.

Vatican officials have said one of the greatest legacies left by Pope Francis will be his effort to promote the role of women in the Catholic Church.

Italian Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi said it was 'significant' Francis chose to be buried near his favorite icon of the Madonna, in a basilica across town, and not in the grottoes underneath St. Peter's, as is typical for popes.

Ravasi, the Vatican's former culture minister, made the remarks as he arrived for the first meeting of cardinals this morning.

He said:

Pope Francis wrote death is 'not the end of everything, but the beginning of something' in one his last personal writings before he died on Monday, it has been revealed.

Vatican News has published a preface written by Francis for a new book by Cardinal Angelo Scola titled Awaiting a New Beginning: Reflections on Old Age.

He reportedly penned the message on February 7, a week before he was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital ahead of what would be a 38-day stay with well-wishers holding daily vigils outside his window and in St Peter's Square.

He wrote:

The volume, published by the Vatican Publishing House (LEV), will be available in bookstores from Thursday.

Pope Francis images were projected onto the obelisk in Buenos Aires

Pope Francis, who was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina's capital city Buenos Aires, never set foot in his homeland after he was elected head of the Catholic Church in 2013.

Argentina celebrated Francis becoming pope with an ecstasy compared it its three World Cup victories. But that initial excitement over the former archbishop of Buenos Aires faded as the years passed.

Some in Buenos Aires felt slighted by Francis' avoidance of Argentina.

Francis said little about his decision to steer clear of Argentina. But Vatican insiders and interlocutors said the pontiff wanted to avoid getting swept up in the polarising politics that characterised his country.

Known to have tense relationships with some of his country's leaders, his ideological clash with current far-right President Javier Milei, who took office in 2023, created even more challenges.

A recent Pew Research Center report showed that Francis' popularity had dropped more in Argentina than anywhere else in the region over the last decade.

About 64% of respondents said they had a positive view of Francis in September 2024, compared with 91% in 2014.

'There are many among us who think he made mistakes. Not everyone in our community is proud of the association,' said Adriana Lombardi, 62, a retired teacher in Buenos Aires, referring to traditionalist Catholics in Argentina who accused Francis of leading the church astray.

Keir Starmer is poised to accept an invite to attend the Pope's funeral this weekend.

The PM is understood to be likely to make the trip to Rome on Saturday. He will join a host of international dignitaries, including Donald Trump and his wife Melania.

It is unclear whether the leaders will be able to meet amid the ceremony, with frantic talks ongoing over a Transatlantic trade deal.

In a round of interviews this morning, education minister Stephen Morgan said: 'I understand a request has come in for attendance at the funeral... obviously the government will make arrangements for who will be attending in due course.'

Pressed if that meant the PM would be attending, the minister told Sky News: 'It could be. The request has gone in and it will be announced in due course.'

Read more here:

Putin and Pope Francis at the Vatican in 2019

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend Pope Francis's funeral, the Kremlin has said today.

Putin, whose foreign travel is limited by an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, was among world leaders to send his condolences to the Vatican on Monday.

But he won't be attending the service on Saturday, his aides have confirmed.

'No. The president has no such plans,' Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked if Putin would be there.

Timothy Radcliffe (left) and Vincent Nichols speaking in London on Monday

The UK and Ireland currently has five cardinals, but only three will participate in the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis in the Vatican.

Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols, Timothy Radcliffe and Rome-based Arthur Roche are all under the age of 80 so therefore will have a vote in the highly secretive process.

Cardinal Nichols, 79, the leader of Catholics in England and Wales, presided over a Requiem Mass for Francis at Westminster Cathedral on Monday evening.

Cardinal Ratcliffe, also 79, was made a cardinal by Francis in December last year, while Roche, 75, was elevated in 2022.

Speaking yesterday, cardinals Nichols and Radcliffe both appeared to rule themselves out of the running to become the next pontiff.

Cardinal Nichols told reporters he was 'too old, not capable', while cardinal Radcliffe said he believed the Holy Spirit was 'far too wise to even think of me (as pope) for the shortest moment'.

Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald, from Birmingham, will turn 88 in August, meaning he is too old to vote as is Sean Brady, Ireland’s only Catholic cardinal, who turns 86 this summer.

Here are the latest pictures we can show you from St Peter's Square as large crowds gather inside the Vatican once again to mourn Pope Francis.

Tomorrow, people will get the chance to see Francis lie in state as his body goes on public display before the funeral is held on Saturday.

Francis will become the first Pope in more than a century to be buried outside the Vatican when he is laid to rest on Saturday.

Traditionally, the final resting place for the head of the Catholic Church is in St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Grottoes where more than 90 popes are buried including Saint Peter, the first one.

But Francis will instead be laid to rest in the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome's Esquilino neighbourhood.

In his last testament, which was revealed last night, Pope Francis wrote:

A basilica is a church which has special significance or privileges granted by the Pope - and the Santa Maria Maggiore is one of the four major ones in Rome.

Pope Francis died of a stroke on Monday at the Vatican aged 88.

His funeral is to be held Saturday in the presence of worshippers and dignitaries before a conclave of cardinals is convened to elect a successor.

Here's what we know about the circumstances surrounding the pope's death and what is to follow:

Pope Francis was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital on February 14 with bronchitis, which later turned into double pneumonia that almost killed him twice.

He left hospital on March 23 and was due to undergo a strict two-month convalescence period.

But the Argentine made a series of impromptu public appearances, looking increasingly weak. The Vatican announced his death early Monday morning.

Francis died of 'cerebral stroke, coma, irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse', according to a death certificate released by the Vatican.

His body was displayed on Monday evening in an open coffin - which he previously ordered should be of wood and zinc - in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican residence where he lived.

In photos published by the Vatican, Francis was seen wearing his red papal vestments, a mitre on his head and had a rosary between his fingers.

His body is to be transferred to St. Peter's Basilica Wednesday at 9am (8am UK time) to lie in state.

Francis's funeral will take place at 10am (9am UK time) on Saturday in the square in front of St Peter's Basilica.

The coffin will then be taken inside the church and from there to the Rome basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for burial.

World leaders and faithful from across the globe are expected to flock to Rome to attend the ceremony and pay their respects to the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.

US President Donald Trump, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky and France's Emmanuel Macron are among those who said they would attend.

The starting date of the conclave, during which 135 so-called 'cardinal electors' will choose Francis's successor, is not yet known.

But it should begin no less than 15 and no more than 20 days after the death of the pope, thus between May 5 and May 10.

The cardinals will meet in the Sistine Chapel, a Renaissance jewel adorned with Michelangelo's celebrated frescoes, and hold four ballots a day - two in the morning and two in the afternoon - until one candidate wins two-thirds of the votes.

At the end of each session, the ballots are burned in a stove by the chapel, releasing smoke above the Apostolic Palace as the world watches.

If black smoke billows from a chimney overlooking St Peter's Square, the vote has been unsuccessful.

White smoke signals a new pope has been elected.

Heads of state and royalty are expected for his funeral, with US President Donald Trump the first to announce they would attend even before a date was confirmed.

Here's who we believe is coming so far

In the UK, sources say a member of the Royal Family could attend the funeral although it was too early to confirm who would travel to Rome for the service

The King has worn a black tie as a mark of respect to the Pope as he met the prime minister of New Zealand at Windsor Castle.

Charles, who is head of the Church of England, carried out his first official engagement since the death of the pontiff, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, on Easter Monday.

The King and New Zealand’s premier Christopher Luxon, who was also wearing a black tie, were said to have taken the opportunity to “reflect on Pope Francis’s remarkable life and legacy”, a source said.

Charles and the Queen had a moving private meeting with Pope Francis on their state visit to Italy, just 12 days before the 88-year-old died after a cerebral stroke.

The King has expressed his “most heartfelt condolences and profound sympathy” and praised Pope Francis’s compassion and tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith.

The monarch, who is also King of New Zealand, welcomed Mr Luxon to his Berkshire castle on Monday.

The funeral of the late Pope Francis will take place on Saturday, with his body going on public display from Wednesday for mourners to pay their respects.

The news came as the first images of the late pontiff were published.

The 88-year-old, who died on Easter Monday, was pictured lying in a wooden coffin dressed in red, with rosary beads draped across his hands.

It has been confirmed that Francis’s body will be on display for the public to pay their respects in St Peter’s Basilica from Wednesday morning.

Details of Francis’s funeral have also been confirmed, with mass to take place at 10am local time (9am UK time) on Saturday, celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals.

Italian media are reporting the funeral of Pope Francis is likely to take place on Saturday.

According to the apostolic constitution, rules issued by the Pope for matters of great importance to the Catholic Church,the funeral is expected to take place four to six days after a death.

That would mean the service is expected on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Multiple Italian news outlets are today reporting Saturday is the most likeliest day.

Cardinals are expected to arrange the funeral date this morning.

Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky pictured in Paris last month

World leaders Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky have become the latest to declare they will attend the funeral of Pope Francis.

Mr Macron, the French premier, told reporters: 'We will attend the pope's funeral as we should', while a source at the Ukrainian presidency said Mr Zelensky is preparing to travel to Rome.

The source told the AFP news agency:

Cardinals were scheduled to meet at 9am local time (8am UK time) at the Vatican to begin scheduling Pope Francis' funeral and burial.

They will also plan the conclave to elect his successor and make other decisions about running the Catholic Church as world leaders and the ordinary faithful grieve the pontiff's death.

Most immediately, they will determine when his body can be moved into St. Peter's Basilica for public viewing.

Francis died Monday at age 88 after suffering a stroke that put him in a coma and led his heart to fail.

He had been recovering in his apartment after being hospitalised for five weeks with pneumonia.

He made his last public appearance Sunday, delivering an Easter blessing and making what would be his final greeting to followers from his popemobile, looping around St. Peter's Square.

The Vatican has published photographs of Pope Francis in his open coffin, dressed in a red robe with the papal mitre on his head and a rosary in his hand.

The images were taken in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, Francis's residence at the Vatican where he died Monday, age 88.

The body of Pope Francis has been laid out in open coffin at the Vatican for the Confirmation of the Death of the Pontiff ceremony.

The rite confirming Francis' death and the placement of his body in the coffin took place last night at the Chapel of Santa Marta, the Vatican has said.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, read the official declaration of death aloud in a ceremony lasting just under an hour.

Seals were also placed on the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace and on the apartment in Chapel of Santa Marta, where Francis had resided.

Cardinals are set to meet today to plan a funeral for Pope Francis, as tributes continue to pour in following his death.

The world will be watching Vatican City after the death of the 88-year-old pontiff on Easter Monday.

Pope Francis died after a cerebral stroke that led to a coma and irreversible heart failure, the Vatican said.

Tributes poured in from around the world on Monday, including from the King and other world leaders, with many praising the Pope for his advocacy for the marginalised.

Read our top story on MailOnline:

Good morning and welcome back to MailOnline's live coverage of the death of Pope Francis.

This morning, cardinals will gather in the Vatican to make arrangements for the funeral which would usually take place between four and six days following the Pope's death.

US President Donald Trump said on social media he and his wife Melania plan to attend the funeral.

It comes after tributes to Francis poured in from across the world on Monday after his death was announced in the morning.

We will continue to report the latest news and reaction throughout the day.