The world will bid a final farewell this weekend to Pope Francis, who leaves behind a legacy shaped by his efforts to revitalize the Church—from addressing clerical abuse to expanding dialogue around climate change, migration, and inclusion.
The Argentine pontiff died at the age of 88 on Monday from a stroke that resulted in a coma and irreversible heart failure, according to the Vatican’s top doctors.
It came after Francis —who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed when he was younger — was admitted to Gemelli hospital on February 14, for a respiratory crisis that evolved into double pneumonia. He spent a total of 38 days there before he was released to recover in his apartment, and he made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday, delivering a blessing and greeting followers from his popemobile as he looped around St. Peter’s Square.
Until his funeral this weekend, Francis’ body, adorned in his papal vestments, will lie in state at St. Peter’s Basilica.
Here’s how to watch:
When is the Pope’s funeral?
Pope Francis’ funeral is in Vatican City on Saturday at 10 a.m. local time, which means American viewers will have to tune in during the early hours of the morning — 4 a.m. ET, 3 a.m. CT, 2 a.m. MT and 1 a.m. PT — to catch the mass. It is slated to be held in St. Peter’s Square or inside the Basilica, depending on the weather.
Where to watch Pope Francis’ funeral:
The majority of major television network across the United States will be airing the funeral, including, NBC, CBS, CNN and ABC. Some streamers are also slated to air coverage of the service live, among them Peacock, Paramount+, Disney+ and Hulu.
International viewers should also be able to watch the proceedings with popular broadcasters, like BBC in the United Kingdom as well as Globo News and CNN Brasil in Brazil. And those in Canada should be able to watch on CTV and CBC while Spanish viewers can catch the ceremony on Televisión Española
The Vatican said it will also provide live coverage on the Vatican’s news channel, which has also been streaming much of the rites this week.
What to expect at the funeral — and who will be in attendance:
The service, which will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the college of cardinals, is expected to draw dignitaries from 170 foreign delegations — including at least 50 heads of state and 10 reigning sovereigns — as well as tens of thousands of ordinary people hoping to pay their respects.
President Trump and first lady Melania Trump are slated to be among those in attendance, as are former President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden.
The ceremony on Saturday will begin with a procession, held only after the Pope is sealed inside his coffin on Friday, marking the end of the public viewing period. It will, however, be significantly more humble than those held for popes past; Francis last year simplified the rules for papal funerals and requested a simple wooden casket for his own burial.
What happens after the funeral?
After the mass, the Vatican said the pope’s body “will be taken into St. Peter’s Basilica and then to the Basilica of St. Mary Major,” bout 2.5 miles away. He chose it as his burial site because it is where he prayed before and after each trip out of Rome, as well as in challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Most live coverage will end when the burial begins.
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