Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims say goodbye to Pope Francis in Rome

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims say goodbye to Pope Francis in Rome

on Saturday, April 26, 2025, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and high -ranking delegations gather on St. Peter's Square in Rome to say goodbye to Pope Francis. The security effort for this historical occasion is unprecedented; Over 1,000 police officers are on duty to ensure security. Already at 5:30 a.m. the entrances to St. Peter's Square opened, where many believers were waiting for their occasion overnight. According to estimates, around 200,000 mourners are expected, while the funeral service is being followed by billions of people on television worldwide.

The official part of the funeral service begins at 10 a.m. when the international head of state and government arrives in Rome. The present includes Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Italy's head of government Giorgia Meloni and the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj, who, contrary to initial doubts, confirmed his participation. Prominent guests such as former US President Joe Biden and European Monarchs from Belgium, Denmark and Spain also take part in the ceremony.

impressive funeral service

The funeral service and the subsequent requiem on St. Peter's Square attract tens of thousands. The body of Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88 after a long illness, was laid out in St. Peter's Basilica until Friday evening, where over 128,000 people said goodbye. After the funeral service, there is a funeral procession that leads through Rome for the first time in over 100 years with a late Pope. The route of around six kilometers leads in symbolic places such as the Piazza Venezia and the Colosseum and takes about half an hour.

The ceremony is shaped by traditional Catholic upright, with the coffin covered with a white silk towel and closed according to the Catholic rite. The coffin is transported in a converted papamobile, so that people along the route can have the last honor to the Pope.

burial in Santa Maria Maggiore

After the funeral service, the coffin is transferred to the basilica Santa Maria Maggiore, where Pope Francis is buried at his own request. In the small scale, homeless people are also given the opportunity to take part in the burial at the request of the Pope. The grave is simply designed, with the inscription "Franciscus" and a replica of its chest cross, and will be open to the public a day after the funeral.

The security measures in Rome are enormous and include flight ban zones and drone defense systems to ensure security during the celebrations. Despite previous chaotic scenes in front of St. Peter's Square, when some people avoided police barriers, St. Peter's Square remains the safest place in the world on this day.

The successor of Pope Francis is decided in the conclave, which is expected to take place in early May. 133 cardinals entitled to vote will then choose a new Pope, whereby Pietro Parolin is the favorite.