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Pope Francis’ funeral: Next steps for Catholic Church?

World leaders and thousands of Catholic faithful gathered April 26 to mourn Pope Francis, whose funeral was held in St. Peter’s Square.
  • April 28, 2025
  • The Baptist Paper
  • International News, Latest News
(Screenshot/NBC News)

Pope Francis’ funeral: Next steps for Catholic Church?

World leaders and a crowd of thousands gathered Saturday (April 26) to mourn Pope Francis, whose funeral was held in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.

About 250,000 people attended the Mass, with another 150,000 lining the motorcade route to St. Mary Major Basilica, where the crowd welcomed his simple wooden coffin, the Associated Press reported.

World leaders

U.S. President Donald Trump, U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were among the dignitaries who attended the funeral.

Francis, remembered by many as a “humble” pastor, died on April 21 after reportedly suffering a stroke and heart failure.

Next steps

Following tradition, the College of Cardinals will convene in a conclave — likely in early May — to elect his successor, with 135 eligible cardinals voting. The process, steeped in secrecy and ceremony, could take days or longer depending on how soon a two-thirds consensus is reached, CNN reported.

See related headlines below:

Mighty and meek say farewell to Pope Francis during Vatican funeral and last popemobile ride -Associated Press

Pope Francis laid to rest after 250,000 attend funeral service -CNN

Trump, Zelensky, world leaders among 200K to attend Pope Francis’ funeral -Christianity Today

The links above are a sampling of headlines related to story and are not an endorsement of all viewpoints or reporting.


EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was compiled from multiple media reports by The Baptist Paper. 

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