Pope Francis's Funeral: 50,000 Mourners, Global Dignitaries, and Simple Burial Plans

Pope Francis's Lying in State

• 🕊️ Pope Francis has been lying in state since Thursday, with thousands of people lining up to pay their respects inside St. Peter's Basilica.
• ⏳ The Vatican extended access, keeping the basilica open all night due to an unexpectedly high turnout, with 50,000 people passing by his coffin by noon on Thursday.
• 📜 The lying in state will continue until Friday evening, followed by a sealing of the coffin ceremony.

Coffin Sealing Ceremony and Papacy Summary

• 🕯️ The sealing ceremony involves placing a white cloth over the Pope's face.
• 📄 A summary of Pope Francis's papacy will be placed on a piece of paper inside a cylinder, which is then put into the coffin before it is sealed.

Funeral and Dignitaries

• 🌍 The funeral is scheduled for Saturday and will be attended by dignitaries from around the world, including US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Zelensky, and French President Macron, along with kings, queens, and other global leaders.
• 👮 Massive security measures will be in place for the event, anticipating tens of thousands of faithful attendees.

Burial Plans

• ✝️ Following the funeral, the casket will be processed across Rome to the St. Mary Major Basilica for burial, as per Pope Francis's wishes.
• 🪦 He requested a simple tomb with a single word inscription: Franciscus, his papal name in Latin.