The Funeral of Pope Francis

About 250,000 people were in St. Peter's Square for Pope Francis' funeral Mass April 26. He was laid to rest at Santa Maria Maggiore, a papal basilica about 3 miles away. (NCR photo/Olivia Bardo)

More than 250,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square and Vatican City today (April 26) to pay tribute to Pope Francis, the charismatic leader of the Catholic Church who electrified the globe with his message of hope, mercy and love for even the most marginalized and outcast. Find all of our coverage of Pope Francis' legacy here.

Funeral crowd

Hundreds of thousands gather to say goodbye to Pope Francis, 'brother to all'

By Soli Salgado, Rhina Guidos

Many young people who had planned to attend the canonization of Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint, were among those who paid their respects to the late pontiff April 26. 

Vatican News

Pope Francis hailed as pastor with missionary vision of a church open for all

By Christopher White, Rhina Guidos

A simplified papal funeral will make a fitting farewell for a pontiff who just three days after his surprise election expressed his desire for "a church that is poor and for the poor."