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Pope Francis' funeral: Who will attend, how to watch

1:04
Pope Francis’ coffin enters final resting place of Saint Mary Major
Eitan Abramovich/AFP via Getty Images
ByMegan Forrester and Phoebe Natanson
April 26, 2025, 7:49 AM

Pope Francis, who led the Roman Catholic Church for 12 years, died on Monday morning at the age of 88.

Francis' life and time as pope, which was noted for humility and outreach efforts to people of disparate backgrounds and faiths, will be remembered during a funeral service taking place on Saturday, the Vatican said.

Here's what to know about Francis' funeral and how to tune in.

Pope Francis leaves at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, May 15, 2019.
Andrew Medichini/AP

Where and when is Pope Francis' funeral?

Pope Francis' funeral will take place on Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. Eastern) and will be held in St. Peter's Square or in the Basilica, depending on the weather, in Vatican City.

St Peter's Basilica of the Vatican is seen from Rome, April 24, 2025.
Alberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images

The pope's body will be placed in a cypress-wood coffin before the funeral and then placed in two other coffins that fit inside one another, each made of different types of wood, at his burial site.

Where to watch the pope's funeral

There are several ways to watch Pope Francis' funeral. ABC News Live coverage of the funeral will begin on Saturday at 3:30 a.m. ET and will air on ABC stations as well as streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.

Additionally, ABC News Digital will live blog the latest from the funeral as it happens and provide analysis and coverage of the biggest takeaways from the event.

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Who will attend Pope Francis' funeral?

As of Thursday, 130 foreign delegations have confirmed they are attending Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday morning, the Vatican press office said.

That number includes "approximately" 50 heads of state and 10 reigning sovereigns.

President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prince William are among those expected to attend. Former President Joe Biden, the second Catholic president ever, and former first lady Jill Biden will also attend.

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MORE: Pope Francis and Donald Trump clashed for years over treatment of migrants

The funeral, known as Missa poenitentialis, is also attended by cardinals, clergy, representatives of world organizations and diplomats, along with huge crowds of the faithful.

Pallbearers, next to Swiss Guards, carry the coffin of the late Pope Francis as it is transported from the chapel of Santa Marta to St Peter's Basilica, following the Pope's death, in the Vatican, April 23, 2025.
Alberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images

Where will Pope Francis be buried?

After the funeral mass on Saturday, Francis will be buried outside the Vatican in St. Mary Major, a basilica in Rome. Francis will be the first pope in more than five centuries to be buried there.

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