Funeral service is pending: This is how the Pope Beyer

Pope Francis (1936-2025) was known for his modest way. If the Pontifex is buried on Saturday, the ceremony will not run without pomp and prominent guests. You have to know that about the funeral service.

After the body of Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday, was initially laid out in a private chapel in the Vatican guest house in Santa Marta, where close confidants were able to say goodbye, he was transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday. There the public can come to the open coffin for three days. Thousands of grieving are pushing on the square in front of the basilica and waiting to see the Pope’s coffin. The coffin is then closed before the funeral service.

The funeral service for Francis will start on Saturday at 10 a.m. According to the Vatican, the funeral fair will take place outdoors on St. Peter’s Square. The dean of the Cardinal College, Giovanni Battista Re, will lead the service.

Numerous politicians and religious leaders, royals and celebrities will come to the Vatican on Saturday to pay the last honor to Pope Francis. According to media reports, a total of 50 heads of state and ten incumbent monarchs will take part. Among them is Javier Milei, the President of Francis’ Heimatland Argentina. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, will also come.

The French President Emmanuel Macron, US President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Keir Strandmer, the outgoing German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj, the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni or the President of the European Commission, Ursula from the Leyen will also be.

In addition, the Monegasium Royals Prince Albert II and Princess Charlène will arrive, just like representatives of some royal homes, including the British throne to the throne Prince William, Queen Mary of Denmark or the Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, the Norwegian crown prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit as well as King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia from Sweden. King Felipe and Queen Letizia are expected with a Spanish delegation.

in Rome to protect the prominent visitors. The airspace over the city is therefore closed on Friday from midnight. According to estimates, up to 200,000 people could come to Rome in total to say goodbye to the Pope.

In his last will, Pope Francis had expressly stipulated that he did not want to be buried in the magnificent St. Peter’s Basilica – the church in which most popes find their last rest. The final resting place of Francis is located in the basilica Santa Maria Maggiore and shows itself as modest as the Pope had wanted. A simple stone rests on the floor that only bears a single name – “Franciscus”. Above it is reminiscent of the wall of its silver breast cross on the wall of the life and work of the Pontifex. The grave is incorporated into a niche in the left aisle of the basilica. According to reports, the actual burial takes place on a small scale. From Sunday, believers are expected to visit the grave in the church.

Anyone who does not attend the funeral service for the late Pope will be able to pursue the ceremony on German television thanks to extensive reporting. Various broadcasters changed their program for Saturday at short notice and accompany the funeral live or summarized by special broadcast. The broadcasters RTL and NTV will follow the events live with a special program called “Farewell to Pope Francis”. The ARD has also announced that the ceremony be transferred from the Vatican.