The funeral of Pope Francis will take place soon, following his death on April 21 at the age of 88, due to a stroke and heart failure.
As Catholics worldwide mourn his loss, preparations are underway for the solemn occasion.
Cardinals in Rome convened on Tuesday for the first of several "general congregations," meetings where key decisions will be made about the funeral proceedings. Among the immediate tasks is deciding when Pope Francis's body will be moved to St Peter’s Basilica, allowing mourners to pay their final respects.
The Cardinals have now announced the date of the funeral.
Read on for all the details.
When is Pope Francis’s funeral?
Pope Francis’s funeral will take place at 10am local time (9am in the UK) on Saturday, April 26.
The pope’s body was laid to rest in a coffin in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence in the Vatican, where he had lived, on Monday.
The body will be moved to St.Peter's Basilica in Rome at 9am UK time on Wednesday for a public viewing, allowing mourners to pay their final respects and view the pope's body.
Who is due to attend Pope Francis’s funeral?
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, will lead the funeral mass. In a departure from tradition, Pope Francis will be buried at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome’s Esquilino neighbourhood, rather than beneath St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, as is customary for most popes.
This decision reflects the humility that Pope Francis was often praised for and aligns with the simplification of many traditional rites he introduced during his papacy.
Additionally, unlike previous papal funerals, which featured three separate coffins, Pope Francis will be buried in a single, simple wooden coffin lined with zinc. The coffin will not be placed on a raised platform, in another break from tradition.
Numerous leaders of the Catholic Church, including cardinals, and heads of state from around the world, are due to attend. Confirmed attendees so far include American President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and the President of Pope Francis's home country of Argentina, Javier Milei.
From the UK, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to attend, though confirmation is still pending. A senior member of the royal family may also be present.
King Charles on Tuesday wore a black tie as a mark of respect to the pope as he met New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at Windsor Castle.
How can I watch Pope Francis’s funeral?
Most major TV news networks worldwide — including BBC News and Sky News — will broadcast the funeral live on Saturday.
Vatican Media will offer a live stream on YouTube and its official websites, while local Catholic news outlets are also anticipated to cover the funeral.
Details regarding the exact schedule and streaming links are likely to be released soon.
