Pope Francis’s Funeral: The Procession from St. Peter’s Square to Santa Maria Maggiore

The funeral ceremony for Pope Francis lasted approximately two and a half hours. The beloved pontiff passed away on Easter Monday (April 21, 2025) at the age of 88. Thousands gathered in Vatican City’s St. Peter’s Square, while many faithful lined the streets of Rome along the procession route carrying the late Argentine Pope’s coffin. Bells tolled mournfully throughout the Vatican as the solemn procession began, traveling six kilometers to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where Pope Francis had requested to be laid to rest—away from the public spotlight he often avoided. Along the way, crowds of devoted followers wept and paid their final respects to the ‘poor man’s pope.’ According to Vatican officials, over 250,000 people attended the funeral, with Italian media estimating half a million attendees.