Pope Francis, the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, was laid to rest today following a public funeral held in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican. Tens of thousands of mourners, alongside global dignitaries and religious leaders, gathered to pay tribute to the late pope, who died Monday.
The ceremony started at 10:00 a.m. local time, presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.
Francis’s coffin was carried out of St. Peter’s Basilica, where it had lain in state for the past three days, and placed before the basilica’s grand façade.
Clergy from around the world participated in the service, which featured the traditional “ultima commendatio” and “valedictio” rites.
Following the funeral Mass, the pope’s body was transported to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome for burial. A nine-day period of mourning, known as the novemdiales, now begins.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, Pope Francis made history as the first pontiff from the Americas and the first Jesuit to hold the papacy. Elected in 2013 after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, he was known for championing mercy, humility, and social justice.
His passing marks the end of a transformative era for the Catholic Church.
