Pope Francis was buried in the Cathedral of Major St. Mary after his coffin passed through the center of Rome, marking the Pope’s last goodbye to the city of Eternity.
After Saturday’s funeral at St. Peter’s Square, the pope’s coffin left the Vatican at 12:30 p.m. local time.
The simple coffin was transported into an ice cream pickup truck and was gathered from a small crowd outside the Vatican with applause and cheers from “Good bye, Pope Francis” and “Good Journey to Francis”.
A white car carrying the papal coffin drove through Rome, the bishop’s city, passing through the white monument of Via Merulana, the main square leading to St. Mary’s Cathedral.
Vatican and local authorities estimate that 150,000 people waved goodbye to Francis’ coffin on the streets of Rome. About 400,000 people attended the funeral.
Popemobile with the remains of Pope Francis carried a coffin through the Colosseum. pic.twitter.com/18p6rtglip
– ewtn News (@ewtnews) April 26, 2025
A small number of cardinals, bishops, pastors and other Vatican officials led into the Cathedral of Marian and into the church housing next to Francis’ favorite Mary “Salus Popley Roman.”
According to his request, the pope’s funeral was the cathedral of St. Mary’s Cathedral, where seven other popes were buried in the cathedral, with roots dating back to the fifth century.
The funeral ceremony held at a private ceremony began with an internship in prayer, asking the Lord to mercy on Pope Francis to “accept his good deeds” and “forgive his sins.”
The ceremony carried out the chanting of our father and the other prayers in Latin.
After the ode, Pope Francis’s coffin was lying in the grave, and Cardinal Kevin Farrell of Camerlengo sprinkled it with holy water, while Marian Antiphon sang “Regina Caeli”.
A number of cardinals, Vatican officials, Francis’s private secretary and family members attended the private funeral.
April 26 marks the first day of the nine-day mourning period for the Catholic church and is known as “Novidias”. In nine days, the Cardinal will celebrate the daily mass of Francis’ soul.
The Cardinal College will meet daily starting Monday to discuss the future of the church and the qualities needed for her next leader.
The conclusion to the election of the new pope will begin in the first week of May.
