Pope Francis' funeral: Who will attend, how to watch

ByMegan Forrester and Phoebe Natanson ABCNews logo
Friday, April 25, 2025 4:20PM
Mourners continue pay respects to Pope Francis before funeral Saturday
Mike Marza has the more on those paying respect to Pope Francis.

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis, who led the Roman Catholic Church for 12 years, died on Monday morning at the age of 88.

Francis' life and time as pope, which was noted for humility and outreach efforts to people of disparate backgrounds and faiths, will be remembered during a funeral service taking place on Saturday, the Vatican said.

Here's what to know about Francis' funeral and how to tune in.

Where and when is Pope Francis' funeral?

Pope Francis' funeral will take place on Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. Eastern) and will be held in St. Peter's Square or in the Basilica, depending on the weather, in Vatican City.

Watch "Celebrating Francis: The People's Pope," beginning Saturday at 3:30 a.m. ET / 12:30 a.m. PT on ABC.

The pope's body will be placed in a cypress-wood coffin before the funeral and then placed in two other coffins that fit inside one another, each made of different types of wood, at his burial site.

Where to watch the pope's funeral

There are several ways to watch Pope Francis' funeral. ABC News Live coverage of the funeral will begin on Saturday at 3:30 a.m. ET and will air on this ABC station as well as streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.

Additionally, ABC News Digital will live blog the latest from the funeral as it happens and provide analysis and coverage of the biggest takeaways from the event.

Who will attend Pope Francis' funeral?

As of Thursday, 130 foreign delegations have confirmed they are attending Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday morning, the Vatican press office said.

That number includes "approximately" 50 heads of state and 10 reigning sovereigns.

President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, former President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prince William are among those expected to attend.

SEE ALSO: Trump, Zelenskyy and Biden among dignitaries converging on Rome for funeral of Pope Francis

The funeral, known as Missa poenitentialis, is also attended by cardinals, clergy, representatives of world organizations and diplomats, along with huge crowds of the faithful.

Where will Pope Francis be buried?

After the funeral mass on Saturday, Francis will be buried outside the Vatican in St. Mary Major, a basilica in Rome. Francis will be the first pope in more than five centuries to be buried there.

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