Funeral service for Pope Francis: St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna in awe

Funeral service for Pope Francis: St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna in awe

On Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, Pope Francis died at 7:35 a.m. in the Vatican at the age of 88. His death sparked sadness around the world, especially among Catholics. Cardinal Chamberlain Kevin Farrell confirmed the loss of the pope, who will go down in history as a great shepherd and courageous innovator. The German Bishops' Conference reacted immediately with an expression of sadness and appreciation for his work.

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn led a “Small Requiem” in St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna. In his address, Schönborn emphasized that the Pope “died in the light of the Paschal Mystery” and drew attention to the fundamental components of faith such as the cross, suffering, death and resurrection. He also remembered the death of Pope John Paul II, who also died during the Easter Octave.

The spirituality of Francis

During his pontificate, Francis worked tirelessly for the weak and oppressed. As a migrant child from Italy who grew up in Argentina, he sought dialogue with different faiths and created significant accents for supporting refugees through initiatives such as his first trip to Lampedusa. Schönborn spoke about Francis' commitment to prisoners, refugees and the poor, and emphasized that looking at the marginalized is at the core of the church's mission.

Georg Bätzing, the head of the German Bishops' Conference, described Francis as a visionary shepherd who promoted a more merciful and open church during his pontificate. He highlighted the importance of the encyclicals “Evangelii Gaudium”, “Laudato si’” and “Fratelli tutti”, which opened new paths for faith communities and interreligious dialogue. Francis’ approach to bringing the Church to people on the margins of society has deeply touched many.

A lasting legacy

Under the pontificate of Francis, the Catholic Church experienced numerous impulses for renewal. The Pope's unconventional style and his clear speech also reached voices critical of the church and strengthened awareness of social justice and climate protection. Bätzing described Francis as a symbol of closeness, humility and humanity.
He concluded his tribute with gratitude for the life's work of Francis, who acted tirelessly as a humanitarian and “fisher of men”.

The service in St. Stephen's Cathedral was accompanied by folk singing and broadcast live on ORF III, “radio klassik Stephansdom” and the YouTube channel of the Archdiocese of Vienna. This reflects the great interest with which many believers around the world followed the ceremony and honored the memory of one of the most important popes of the last decades.