On Saturday, the 26th April, 2025, in St. Peter's Square, the funeral of Pope Francis was celebrated, with the presence of thousands of faithful from all over the world, religious leaders, priests, religious, heads of state and official delegations, the funeral rite was presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals.
In his homily, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re particularly recalled the Pope's words: "Happiness is more in giving than in receiving," and stressed that "he was a Pope amongst the people with an open heart to all." In the end, he recalled that "Pope Francis used to conclude his speeches and meetings by saying: 'Do not forget to pray for me.' Dear Pope Francis, we now ask you to pray for us and from heaven bless the Church, bless Rome, bless the whole world."
At the end of the celebration, the first according to the new edition of the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis desired by Francis himself and approved on the 29th April, 2024, the funeral procession departed from St. Peter's to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the smallest of the four Papal Basilicas and the only one dedicated to the Virgin, for burial. In the atrium, about forty people including the poor, homeless, detainees and migrants, each with a white rose, paid a last tribute to the "Pope of the poor."
The funeral rite was presided over by Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Camerlengo, and concluded at 1:30 p.m.
It was Pope Francis himself who chose the place of his burial, in his Testament we read: "I wish that my last earthly journey will conclude precisely in this very ancient Marian shrine where I went to pray at the beginning and at the end of each Apostolic Journey to entrust my intentions to the Immaculate Mother and to thank her for her docile and maternal care. I ask that my tomb be prepared in the niche of the side aisle between the Pauline Chapel (Chapel of the Salus Populi Romani) and the Sforza Chapel of the aforementioned Papal Basilica as indicated in the attached annex. The tomb must be on the ground; simple, without particular decoration and with the only inscription: Franciscus".
Thousands of faithful accompanied the Holy Father, Bishop of Rome, to the end of his earthly journey through the streets of the city.
