The funeral Mass must take place four to six days after the pope’s death. The conclave, the cardinals who will elect the next pope, must meet 15 to 20 days after his death.

Even before Saturday's funeral service for Pope Francis at the Vatican, the leader known as "the People's Pope" had already broken with some traditions in the ways pontiffs are laid to rest. His ...

Burial plans and funeral traditions explained - Pope Francis’ funeral will not follow traditional protocols, marking a break from the past as the world mourns the loss of the ‘people’s pope’.

Plans surrounding a pope's death are historically tightly choreographed, with procedural events steeped in tradition. But Pope Francis has instead opted for an alternative series of events to ...

The funeral mass, in St Peter’s Square, in front of the Basilica where his body has been lying in state, will begin at 10am local time (9am BST) with a choir singing introductory rites.

Pope Francis' funeral will be a blend of conventional Catholic funeral traditions with special rituals, with Cardinals in red and the Pope's final resting place at St. Mary Major.

News Fionnula Hainey National Editor 16:25, 21 Apr 2025Updated 16:25, 21 Apr 2025 A funeral will be held between four and six days after his death (Image: Getty Images) ...

Pope Francis has simplified papal funeral rituals to better reflect the head of the Catholic Church's status as a humble pastor rather than "person of power", the Vatican said Wednesday.

Thousands have gathered around St Peter’s Basilica to mourn Pope Francis, who died from a stroke and subsequent heart failure on Easter Monday. The Catholic church is now entering its next chapter, ...

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Mourners will bid their final farewells to the late Pope Francis at his funeral on Saturday, which will blend conventional Catholic funeral traditions with rituals reserved ...