Pope Francis' coffin brought to final resting place

04/26/2025April 26, 2025

Pope Francis to be buried in final resting place — more to follow

Pope Francis' coffin has been transported to his final resting place, the church of St. Mary Major, where he will be buried in private. 

Our next editors and writers will be covering the latest news to get you up to speed with information on the late pope's funeral ceremonies and what happens next.

04/26/2025April 26, 2025

IN PICTURES: Tens of thousands watch pope's last journey

Large crowds thronged the streets of Rome to catch a last glimpse of Pope Francis' coffin as it made its way to St. Mary Major Basilica, his final resting place.

The pope's simple wooden coffin was visible to locals and tourists alike along the 6-kilometer (3.5-mile) route from atop a modified popemobile.

Francis' wooden coffin was visable from the popemobile as it drove through RomeImage: DAMIEN MEYER/AFP/Getty Images

The crowd, which was tens of thousands strong, clapped and cheered "Papa Francesco."

At one point, church bells rang out as the popemobile emerged from a tunnel and crossed the Tiber River, flanked by police on motorcycles.

Pope Francis will be buried in a private ceremony later SaturdayImage: Hannah McKay/REUTERS

04/26/2025April 26, 2025

Zelenskyy recalls 'good meeting' with Trump in Vatican City

Zelenskyy and Trump have had a mixed relationship, but they are still willing to meet in person as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continuesImage: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had a "good meeting" with US President Donald Trump at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. The two leaders were both attending the funeral of Pope Francis. 

"Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out. Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results," Zelenskyy posted on X, while expressing gratitude to Trump. 

Ukrainian media earlier reported that the meeting was 15 minutes long.

The White House had described the meeting as "very productive."

The Trump administration is seeking a ceasefire deal in Ukraine. Trump earlier this week accused Zelenskyy of prolonging the war but also criticized Russia under Vladimir Putin for carrying a deadly attack in Kyiv.  

Trump has suggested that his administration may move on from Ukraine if no progress on a ceasefire is made in the near future. 

Russia's invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. 

04/26/2025April 26, 2025

Pope Francis' coffin arrives at final resting place

The coffin of Pope Francis, who was 88, was brought to his final resting placeImage: Gregorio Borgia/AP Photo/picture alliance

Pope Francis' coffin has arrived at St. Mary Major Basilica, where he will be buried. The coffin was escorted by Swiss guards. 

Francis' coffin had been transported from the Vatican on the popemobile to Rome, where the basilica is located.  

The basilica is in the Rome neighborhood of Esquilino, which has a high population of people from Africa and Asia. Francis often emphasized his compassion for refugees and immigrants during his time as pope. 

Francis is the first pope to choose to be buried outside of the Vatican in over a century. 

04/26/2025April 26, 2025

How were leaders seated at Francis' funeral? Trump given front-row seat

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were given front row seats during Pope Francis' funeral Mass at St Peter's Square.

Vatican rules for important events arrange seats for foreign dignitaries in groups according to seniority and in alphabetical order, according to their country's name in French, the global diplomatic language.

Reigning monarchs are normally seated first, followed by heads of state, heads of government, other royals and then ministers and other dignitaries.

US President Donald Trump was among the world leaders at Pope Francis' funeralImage: Cecilia Fabiano/LaPresse/ZUMA Press/picture alliance

Trump received a front row seat because the US is called Etats-Unis d'Amerique in French.

Meanwhile, Argentinian President Javier Milei, where Francis was born, got the best view of the proceedings, along with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who was representing the country that surrounds the Vatican City state.

The seating plan would likely have been a challenge for Vatican officials as former US President Joe Biden, whom Trump has fiercely criticized, was also in attendance, along with ministers from foes Iran, Russia and the heads of several countries that Trump has hit with unprecedented tariffs.

04/26/2025April 26, 2025

Pope Francis' funeral service ends as popemobile heads into Rome

Crowds in Rome are watching as the pope's coffin is being transported to his final resting placeImage: Kevin Coombs/REUTERS

The funeral service for Pope Francis has now ended. 

The pope's coffin is now departing the Vatican on a white popemobile.

The coffin is now en route to his burial place in St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome. 

Francis' final burial placed will be in St. Mary Major Basilica, which is located in Rome rather than the Vatican Image: Eric Vandeville/ABACAPRESS.COM/IMAGO

04/26/2025April 26, 2025

Francis' coffin returns to Basilica after open-air funeral

Pope Francis' coffin has been taken back into St. Peter's Basilica at the end of his funeral mass at the Vatican.

Pallbearers carried the simple wooden casket back into the basilica almost two hours after it was brought out for the open-air service in St. Peter's Square.

From there, it will be moved to the popemobile to make its way across Rome to Francis' burial place in St. Mary Major Basilica.

04/26/2025April 26, 2025

Modi: The world will 'always remember' Francis's service

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi endorsed a post on X from President of India Droupadi Murmu, who paid homage to Francis at the Basilica of Saint Peter in Vatican City on Friday. 

Modi wrote that India's president was paying homage to "Pope Francis on behalf of the people of India."

"The world will always remember his service to society," Modi said, referring to Francis.    

04/26/2025April 26, 2025

IN PICTURES: World leaders gather for Francis' funeral service

DW Instagram pulls together some pictures from this morning at St. Peter's Square, where Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re led the service to honor the life of Pope Francis.

04/26/2025April 26, 2025

Francis' funeral offers message of hope in multiple languages

Pope Francis' funeral is a carefully choreographed affair, with Latin chants, strictly organised seating, and use of ancient Catholic Church rites.

The Mass is being conducted in multiple languages, including Latin, the Church's official language, along with Italian, English, French, Portuguese, Polish, German, Chinese, and Arabic.

Several lay Catholic followers have taken part in the readings asking for peace, justice, and unity across the world.

The prayer givers have come from all over the world as a symbol that the Church isn't just European — it's global and diverse.

Francis made arrangements for a far simpler funeral when he revised and simplified the Vatican's traditions last year.

He has foregone the customary triple-layered papal coffins and the papal crown and will be laid to rest later in a simple wooden casket, symbolizing his Jesuit vow of poverty and commitment to humility.

04/26/2025April 26, 2025

When will cardinals choose a next pope?

After the service for Pope Francis on Saturday, the Catholic Church will begin deliberations on a future leader. 

A secretive conclave to choose Francis' successor will likely not convene until May 6. 

The next pope will not just be a symbol of the church around the world, but will also influence the ideological direction of the religious institution.

The candidates to succeed Pope Francis come from Africa, Asia and other parts of the world. Some of them emphasize Pope Francis' message of social justice, while others tend to have more conservative and traditionalist views.   

Read DW's piece on Who will be the next pope after Francis?

04/26/2025April 26, 2025

What to know if you're joining us now

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re delivered a homily to remember and honor the life of Pope Francis.

Re's message to the world covered some of the late pope's cherished themes, ranging from a call for care for migrants, an end to wars and action on global climate change.

The dean of the College of Cardinals (the body eligible to vote for the next pope) delivered his speech a few yards away from where US President Donald Trump and other world dignitaries, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, sat for the ceremony.

Prince William was seated next to Germany's outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the open-air Mass that saw nearly 200,000 people in attendance. Germany's presumptive next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, was not present at the event. 

The funeral marks the first of nine days of official Vatican mourning for Francis, who took over following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in 2013.

After the mourning period, cardinals will gather for the conclave to elect a new pope to lead the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.

04/26/2025April 26, 2025

In politics, Trump and Zelenskyy hold 'productive discussion' before Francis' funeral service

US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a "very productive discussion" ahead of Pope Francis' funeral Mass in their first in-person meeting since a widely publicized showdown in the Oval Office in February, the White House says.

White House communications director Steven Cheung said the two leaders "met privately today and had a very productive discussion" and that more details would follow.

Their talks comes as the US under Trump's leadership has put forward a contentious peace proposal to put an end to Moscow's invasion of its neighbor.

04/26/2025April 26, 2025

Homily: Francis implored peace amid conflicts around the world

Hundreds of thousands packed St. Peter's Square for the pope's funeral MassImage: Tiziana FABI/AFP via Getty Images

During the homily, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re noted that Pope Francis urged peace and called for negotiations amid conflicts around the world. 

"Faced with the raging wars of recent years, with their inhuman horrors and countless deaths and destruction, Pope Francis incessantly raised his voice imploring peace and called for reason and honest negotiation to find possible solutions."

Re also said Francis believed the Church is a "home for all."

Francis was driven by "the conviction that the Church is a home for all, a home with the doors always open.... a Church capable of bending down to every person, regardless of their beliefs or conditions, and healing their wounds." 

04/26/2025April 26, 2025

Vatican: 200,000 people at pope's funeral

The Vatican said some 200,000 people have flocked to Pope Francis' funeral Mass, presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.

Some 220 cardinals, 750 bishops and more than 4,000 other priests are in attendanceImage: Antonio Masiello/Getty Images

Earlier, Italian police said around 50,000 people were in St. Peter's Square, where the Mass is being held.

Leaders from more than 150 countries are attending Pope Francis' funeralImage: Kai Pfaffenbach/REUTERS

Mourners were lined up along Via della Conciliazione, which leads up to the Vatican.

They were able to follow the mass on big screens in public squares in Rome, including outside the Santa Maria Major Basilica, where Francis will be laid to rest later.