Thousands of faithful from around the world will be able to say goodbye to Pope Francis from this Wednesday (23). The funeral open to the public will start at 6am (Brasília time), in the Basilica of St. Peter, in the Vatican.
The funeral will be next Saturday (26) and Francis will be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
See what we know about the ceremonies of farewell to Pope Francis.
Where is Pope Francis’s body now?
The Pope’s body is in the chapel of the residence of Santa Marta, home of guests of the Vatican where Francis lived during his papacy. At 4am (Brasília time), Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrell presides over a brief prayer before the procession began.
The coffin will be transferred from the residence of Santa Marta to the Basilica of St. Peter, passing through Piazza Santa Marta, Piazza dei Promomartiri Romani, will then pass through the campaigns to St. Peter’s Square.
How long will the wake last?
The funeral of Francisco, which will be open to the public, will start at 6am (Brasília time), this Wednesday (23), in the Basilica of São Pedro. The public will be able to visit the Pontiff’s coffin until Friday (25).
On the first day, the basilica will be open to the public from 6am to 7pm (Brasília time). The place will be closed all night and the visits will resume at 2am (Brasília time), Thursday (24).
When will the funeral be?
Francisco’s funeral is scheduled to take place at 5am (Brasília time) on Saturday (26) – six days after the Pope’s death. The last papal funeral of Bento XVI in 2023 – was also held six days after death.
Where will it be funeral?
The Vatican announced that the funeral of Francisco will be held in São Pedro Square. Anterior papal funerals were also performed outdoors, with thousands of people following the ceremony in front of the basilica.
Francisco’s funeral liturgy will be presided by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the Cardinal College – the group that in the coming weeks will be in charge of appointing a new Pope.
How did Francis “simplify” the ceremony?
The Vatican said the funeral will follow the rites established in the “Oro Exequerum Romani Pontificis.” The liturgical book, which details the procedures for papal funerals, was published in 2000, but revised by Francisco last year.
Diego Ravelli, master of apostolic ceremonies, said that Francis had sought to “simplify and adapt” the ceremony, so that the papal funeral is similar to “a pastor and disciple of Christ, not a powerful person in this world.”
Who will attend the ceremony?
A series of world leaders confirmed presence at Saturday’s funeral. Argentine president Javier Milei, Francisco’s country, confirmed that he will travel to Rome on Thursday (24).
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who had a close relationship with Francisco during the papacy, will also go to the funeral.
French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Stmerer, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are among the leading European leaders traveling to the Vatican.
United States President Donald Trump will also be present.
Thousands of people should accompany the ceremony straight from St. Peter’s Square. About 50,000 people attended the funeral of Bento XVI in 2023, while about 300,000 participated in the wake of João Paulo in 2005.
Who won’t?
Russian President Vladimir Putin “has no plans” to attend the event, Kremlin said on Tuesday (22).
As the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant to Putin, police in Italy-one of the 125 member states of the ICC-would be forced to stop it.
Where will Francis be buried?
In his will, Francis gave simple instructions to his funeral: “The tomb must be on the ground; simple, without ornaments, having only the inscription: Franciscus.”
The Pope also said that throughout his life, he was always devoted to Virgin Mary. “Therefore, I ask my remains to rest – awaiting the day of the resurrection – in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore,” he wrote.
This basilica is out of the Vatican, across the Tiber River in Rome. After the funeral, the body of Francis will be transferred there, where the burial will occur.
When does the conclave start?
The process of choosing a new Pope, known as Conclave, is a combination of ancient tradition, religious ritual and political. Voting happens at closed doors. Only cardinals under 80 – just over half the total number – can vote.
Since cardinals are gathered in Rome, usually about 15 days after the Pope’s death, they meet in the Sistine Chapel to start the decision -making process.
It usually takes between two and three weeks for a Pope to be chosen, although it can extend a little more if the cardinals do not reach an agreement.
Of the 135 cardinals who can vote, Pope Francis appointed 108 of them.
This means that four of the five votes on the conclave will be issued by cardinals nominated by the Pope, which led some analysts to say that the successor can be someone coupled with the principles of Francis.
Who are the Brazilian cardinals who vote for the conclave and can be Papa
This content was originally published at Pope Francis’ funeral begins this Wednesday (23); See details on the CNN Brazil website.
Source: CNN Brasil

Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.