Solemn Farewell Begins: Pope Francis’ Coffin Procession to Saint Peter’s Basilica

 On April 23, 2025, a somber procession carrying the coffin of Pope Francis commenced from the Casa Santa Marta, his Vatican residence, toward Saint Peter’s Basilica, marking the start of three days of public viewing for the beloved pontiff who died on April 21, 2025, at age 88. 

The Vatican announced that the procession, led by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Camerlengo, began at 9:00 a.m. local time, with red-robed cardinals, bishops, and Swiss Guards escorting the simple wooden coffin through Vatican City. Crowds gathered in Saint Peter’s Square under a warm Roman sun, chanting Latin hymns as the procession passed, a poignant tribute to the first Latin American pope.

Pope Francis, who succumbed to a stroke and heart failure, chose a humble burial in Rome’s Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, breaking from tradition. His body, dressed in red vestments with a papal mitre and rosary, was placed in an open coffin for the rite of confirmation of death on April 21, images of which stirred global mourning. The procession, described as a “rite of translation,” included a moment of prayer at Santa Marta, followed by a slow march through the Square of the Roman Protomartyrs to the basilica’s Altar of the Confession, where Cardinal Farrell presided over the Liturgy of the Word.

Hundreds of thousands of mourners are expected to pay respects from April 23 to 25, with the funeral Mass set for April 26, presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. World leaders, including US President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will attend, highlighting Francis’ global impact. His papacy, marked by advocacy for the poor and criticism of divisive policies, leaves a complex legacy as the conclave to elect his successor looms, likely starting after May 5. This procession symbolizes the end of an era and the Catholic Church’s transition to a new chapter.