The vast plaza before St. Peter’s Basilica brimmed with mourners under a bright spring sky. Columns of Bernini’s colonnade, crowned by statues of saints, encircled the throng, and the great Egyptian obelisk stood sentinel at its center. By mid-morning, a sea of black-clad faithful spilled out onto the ancient cobbles, soaking in the warm April sunlight. Flags of the Vatican and Argentina fluttered softly at the square’s edge. Amid the hush and the scent of incense, word passed up and down the crowd: today a pope would be laid to rest.

• Attendance: More than a quarter-million people filled St. Peter’s Square and the surrounding streets. Among them were around fifty heads of state and at least ten reigning monarchs. National flags and clerical vestments dotted the crowd – an array of diplomats in dark suits gathered alongside humble pilgrims in jeans and sneakers.

• Dignitaries: World leaders sat in the front rows. U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy were both in attendance. In a moving gesture, the two met briefly inside St. Peter’s Basilica during the Mass – a quiet moment of unity on a day of collective grief.

• The Coffin: As Mass began, 14 pallbearers in white gloves carried Pope Francis’s simple zinc-lined coffin out of the Basilica and into the sun-filled square. The pope’s face was veiled in white silk, and his body had been sprinkled with holy water. An approving ripple of applause greeted the procession as it emerged into the light.

• Liturgy: Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, presided at the altar. He was joined by about 220 cardinals, 750 bishops, and some 4,000 priests celebrating Mass. A choir intoned Latin hymns and prayers rang out in many tongues – a testament to the Church’s 1.4 billion members around the globe. Scarlet and purple vestments gave a touch of color against the marble and golden altarpieces, while the faithful followed along on big-screen monitors.

• Procession: After the ceremony, Francis’s casket was placed on an open-topped Popemobile for a ceremonial drive through Rome. Tens of thousands lined the 3.4-mile route to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, tossing flowers and waving signs. Many cried “Viva il Papa!” or “Ciao, Francesco!” blending grief with gratitude. In keeping with his wishes, he was buried at Santa Maria Maggiore – the first pope interred outside the Vatican in over a century.

The Funeral Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica

Inside the towering Basilica, sunlight filtered through stained-glass windows onto gilded artwork. Behind the altar, Bernini’s radiant “Gloria” sculpture glowed as incense smoke curled upward. The Book of the Gospels lay open on the catafalque alongside a wooden crucifix – symbols of Francis’s faith and humility.

Cardinal Re delivered a homily praising Francis as “rich in human warmth and deeply sensitive to today’s challenges,” urging the faithful to carry forward “the pontiff’s legacy of caring for migrants, the downtrodden, and the environment.” As Re spoke, elders kissed rosaries and children slept on their parents’ shoulders; candles flickered at side altars. He reminded the crowd that they were gathered “with sad hearts in prayer around his mortal remains” yet sustained by the certainty of faith that this day was not an end but a promise of eternal life.

All around, the walls and columns adorned with saints and popes of ages past lent a solemn grandeur. The presider gently set a course for the future, emphasizing that “there was no going back.” When the final prayers concluded, mourners replaced the lit candles with profound silence, broken only by the final blessing.

Mourning, Prayers and Unity

Outside in the square, emotions ran high. Bells tolled in churches across the world – the universal sign that “Francis returned to the home of the Father.”

Pilgrims from every continent shared their grief openly. A French tourist wept and smiled, saying, “When I arrived at the square, tears of sadness and also joy came over me… I truly realized that Pope Francis had left us, and at the same time there is joy for all he has done for the Church.” An elderly Italian held a homemade banner with a haloed cross and the words “Grazie P. Francesco.” A mother in a headscarf pressed rosary beads between her fingers as she whispered a Hail Mary.

All morning, the crowd alternated between fervent silence and spontaneous applause. When the pallbearers tilted the coffin for the crowd to see, thousands erupted into a sustained round of clapping. Flags were dipped, horns tooted, and even the cardinals hummed Ave Maria sotto voce. As Francis’s body later paraded past on the Popemobile, many tossed roses onto the vehicle. The scene was one of profound unity: strangers embraced, hats were removed, and women crossed themselves.

Legacy and Spiritual Significance

The extraordinary turnout underscored Francis’s global impact. As history’s first Latin American pope, he had brought a “breath of fresh air into a 2,000-year-old institution.” The Church under Francis emphasized humility, compassion, and outreach.

Francis’s profound pontificate touched minds and hearts, spurring the outpouring of love seen here. A world accustomed to papal formalities now recalled a pope who lived simply – from his choice to sleep in a guesthouse to his modest funeral liturgy. Even in death, he shunned excess: he insisted on a single zinc-lined coffin instead of three nested ones.

For many Catholics, this day was a sacred moment of continuity and hope. Amidst the tears, the faithful were reminded that sorrow would give way to joy, since human existence does not end in the tomb but continues in the Father’s house. In the afternoon light, as hymns were sung and candles burned, the faithful contemplated the sign "Franciscus" now carved on his tomb.

Through the stillness and the surges of emotion, one theme stood out: unity. Under the shadow of the Basilica’s dome, a diverse multitude had come together in mourning and in promise, echoing the pontiff’s vision of the Church as a family. In that shared act of faith – in the flickering candlelight and the hushed prayers – Pope Francis’s legacy of hope and mercy felt enduring, as though his light still guided those he had served.

Today, under a bright Roman sky, hundreds of thousands gathered at St. Peter’s Square to bid farewell to Pope Francis. The scene was a powerful testament to his legacy: unity, compassion, and hope. Mourners from all corners of the world stood shoulder to shoulder. Flags of many nations waved gently above the crowd. Tears, prayers, and soft hymns filled the air, blending sorrow with deep gratitude. Pope Francis’s simple coffin, carried by white-gloved pallbearers, was greeted with sustained applause as it emerged into the sunlight — a final tribute to a beloved shepherd. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re led the funeral Mass, surrounded by cardinals, bishops, and thousands of clergy. In a moving homily, he described Francis as “rich in human warmth, deeply sensitive to today’s challenges,” and called on the Church to carry forward his mission of care for the poor and the planet. As the Popemobile carried the pope’s casket through Rome for the last time, flowers rained down from the crowd. Cries of “Viva il Papa!” and “Ciao, Francesco!” echoed along the streets, a spontaneous and heartfelt farewell. Pope Francis’s burial at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore marked a break from tradition, true to his humble spirit. In every tear, every prayer, and every embrace shared today, the world honored not just a pontiff, but a man who showed what it truly means to lead with love. Today, beneath the towering dome of St. Peter’s, hope and unity lit the way forward — the final, lasting gift of Pope Francis.