Pope Francis funeral: Church leader laid to rest in Vatican City

A funeral for Pope Francis was held Saturday morning in Vatican City. His final resting place was at Santa Maria Maggiore, also known as Saint Mary Major. The pope is breaking with tradition and is the first pope in more than a century to not be buried beneath St Peter’s Basilica. More than 250,000 people attended the hours-long ceremony. The pope died on Monday, April 21, 2025. The former leader of the Catholic Church died of a stroke and cardiac arrest, according to the Vatican. His final public appearance was on Easter Sunday, when he provided blessings to crowds of faithful.