Pope Francis’s Final Journey: Mourners Gather as Pontiff Lies in State Ahead of Historic Funeral

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, has made his final earthly journey. The beloved pontiff passed away on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88, following a stroke and cardiac arrest, as confirmed by the Vatican.

In the early hours of Easter Monday, Pope Francis suffered a stroke that led to a coma and, ultimately, irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse. His last public blessing was delivered to thousands in St. Peter's Square on Easter Sunday, just days before his passing—an exit as dramatic as the man himself.

The pope had been battling health complications for months, including a 38-day stay at Rome's Gemelli Hospital with double pneumonia earlier this year. Despite his declining health, he kept up with his papal duties until the very end.

After his death, around 60 Catholic cardinals gathered in Rome for prayer and to review his final wishes. In a move that will no doubt spark conversation in church history books, Pope Francis requested a simple tomb, marked only "Franciscus," without mention of his 12-year papacy. Minimalist even in death—no fuss, all faith.

Mourners are invited to pay their respects as the pope lies in state at St. Peter’s Basilica, starting Wednesday morning until the funeral. The procession will take his body through Santa Marta Square, the Square of the Roman Protomartyrs, and the Arch of the Bells before entering the basilica—an itinerary worthy of the world’s most prominent spiritual leader.

Saturday, April 26, will see a grand funeral Mass at 10 a.m., led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. Clergy from every corner of the globe will join in the service, and the event will kick off the Novemdiales—a nine-day period of mourning and remembrance that’s as much tradition as it is tribute.

A second funeral Mass, led by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, will follow on Sunday. Ultimately, Pope Francis will be laid to rest in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore—a place he cherished, where he began and ended every apostolic journey in prayer.

His will, made public by the Vatican, reads like a humble farewell: he entrusted his life and ministry to the Virgin Mary and asked to rest in a simple grave between the Pauline Chapel and the Sforza Chapel, with burial expenses covered by a benefactor. No lavish displays, just a quiet, dignified goodbye.

As global leaders and everyday believers alike prepare to say their farewells, it’s clear Pope Francis’s impact reached far beyond the Vatican—he made a point of stretching Catholicism into corners of the world often forgotten. The next chapter for the papacy is shrouded in tradition, secrecy, and, let’s be honest, a little bit of Vatican drama. Stay tuned.