The funeral of Pope Francis, who died on Monday, will be held on Saturday, the Vatican announced.
The Argentine pontiff (88) died of stroke, less than a month after returning home from five weeks in hospital battling double pneumonia.
The pope’s coffin – which he previously ordered should be of wood and zinc – will be taken inside church, and from there to the Rome Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for burial.
The first so-called “general congregation” of cardinals took place yesterday morning, kicking off a centuries-old process which culminates in the election of a new pontiff within three weeks.
The Vatican published the first images of the pontiff in his open coffin, wearing his red papal vestments, a mitre on his head, and a rosary between his fingers.
The pope’s body was photographed during a service on Monday evening in the Chapel of Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican residence where he lived during his 12-year papacy, and where he died.
It will be transferred to St Peter’s Basilica today to lie in state.
Before falling into a coma, he waved to his personal nurse Massimiliano Strappetti from his bed in what Vatican News described as “a gesture of farewell”.
On Sunday, he had thanked Strappetti for encouraging him to take what would become his last tour of St Peter’s Square in his popemobile.
“Thank you for bringing me back to the Square,” Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was quoted as saying.
“He did not suffer. It all happened quickly,” Vatican News said, citing people who were with the pontiff in his final moments.
Traditional papal funerals involved three coffins – one made out of cypress wood, one of lead and one of elm – which are placed one inside the other before the body is placed inside and then buried in the Vatican grottoes beneath St Peter’s Square.
However, Francis shunned these rituals when he approved simplified rules in April 2024. According to international reports, people will still be able to see his body in the basilica, but his remains will be placed in one simple coffin made of wood and lined with zinc, and will not be raised on a platform. The coffin will remain open until the night before the funeral, The Guardian has reported.
From speaker after speaker, one commonality can be deduced: that Pope Francis was a “man of the people” who epitomised simplicity with a pristine place for the world’s poorest of the poor.
His name, Francis, was chosen in honour of Francis of Assisi, the Italian saint who renounced a life of luxury to help the poor.
Francis was an ordinary man. He substituted the plush apostolic apartment for a simple room within the Vatican walls and, unlike his predecessors, did not spend his summers in Castel Gandolfo, an opulent 12th-century fortress close to Rome.
“Francis made it very clear that he didn’t want his body put on display; he didn’t want to be idolised, so there will be none of that sort of ritual,” a Vatican correspondent was quoted as saying. “I think he was very conscious, as he was throughout his whole papacy, of the theatrics of [the Vatican], and especially with a funeral, when all the eyes of the world are on the Catholic Church – he wants to send a signal not of riches, not of wealth, but of simplicity.”
Namibia
The Namibia Catholic Bishops Conference (NCBC) joined the rest of the world in mourning and celebrating the pope.
The NCBC described Francis’s legacy as a global spiritual leader who championed care for the poor, the environment and the marginalised.
Speaking to New Era, NCBC’s communications officer Father Veranus Shiimi said Pope Francis left a lasting impact on the Namibian Catholic Church, despite never having visited the country.
“One of his major influences was his call to care for the poor and the marginalised. He emphasised this throughout his leadership,” said Shiimi.
He highlighted Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato Si, which called on the world to care for the environment. “That document had a big impact. It inspired action in parishes across Namibia, where tree-planting and eco-friendly initiatives were encouraged.
All our parishes got involved. Many planted trees and raised awareness about environmental issues,” he added.
“We tried our level best to put into practice the teaching on protecting nature and also caring for the marginalised and the poor; and the migrants also,” Shiimi said.
Pope Francis’s global approach to social justice and environmental care shaped the way the Namibian Catholic Church engages society, he noted, calling his leadership “a blessing to the whole world”.
Election
Regarding the process of electing a new pope, Shiimi clarified that only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to participate in the conclave. This election will take place at the College of Cardinals, after the Pope’s funeral.
“As soon as the funeral is done, there will be elections, so the College of Cardinals will gather and elect the next pope,” he said.
“In Namibia, we don’t have a cardinal, but only the archbishop. Archbishops are not part of the College of Cardinals. Cardinals are the rank which comes above archbishops. So, Namibia won’t have someone directly involved in the election. But South Africa has one cardinal who is eligible to vote and be elected,” he noted.
Asked about the possibility of an African pope, Shiimi said: “There is always hope. There are African cardinals eligible to be elected. Each cardinal chooses who they see fit.”
Mourning
The traditional mourning period for a pope is nine days, but the exact date of the funeral service is determined by the College of Cardinals.
Shiimi said while an official delegation has not yet been confirmed, Namibia will likely be represented at the funeral.
“Definitely. I’m not so sure. There›s no official communique on that, but I think there will be representatives from here. The archbishop, for example, maybe he will participate. He will also maybe send some delegates. But yeah, definitely Namibia will be represented,” he said.
Tribute
Following the news of the pope’s death on 21 April 2025 at his Vatican residence, Casa Santa Marta, the Office of Archbishop Liborius Nashenda released an official message to the faithful yesterday.
“We are all shocked and saddened by his passing. Nevertheless, as people of faith, we should continue to pray for the repose of his soul unceasingly,” the message reads.
In tribute, Archbishop Nashenda called on all priests in Namibia to celebrate daily Mass, or include special prayers during the Divine Office for the late pope until his burial.
A memorial mass will be held at St Mary’s Cathedral in Windhoek today at 18h00, to be presided over by the archbishop.
“All members of the public are welcome to attend,” Nashenda urged.
A book of condolences will also be open at the cathedral from 07h00 to 19h00 daily, starting today, until the Pope’s burial day.
-Additional reporting by AFP and The Guardian