Pope Francis died on Monday at age 88. On Saturday, he’ll be laid to rest.
The pope’s funeral is set to begin at 2 a.m. MDT on Saturday. It will bring together religious and political leaders from around the world.
Here’s what you should know about the funeral Mass — and what comes next for the Catholic Church.
Time of Pope Francis’ funeral
The pope’s funeral is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. in Rome on Saturday. That’s 4 a.m. EDT/2 a.m. MDT.
The funeral will take place in St. Peter’s Square, according to USA Today.
Trump at pope’s funeral
More than 200,000 people are expected to attend Pope Francis’ funeral, including top leaders from around the world, USA Today reported.
President Donald Trump will be there with first lady Melania Trump.
Prince William of Great Britain is also expected to attend, as is U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Here are some other notable figures on the guest list:
- Javier Milei, president of Argentina, where Pope Francis was born and spent much of his career
- Emmanuel Macron, president of France
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president of Ukraine
- Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, president of Brazil
How to watch the pope’s funeral
Several major television networks will air the pope’s funeral live, including NBC, CBS and ABC, according to The New York Times.
The funeral will also be available to stream on Vatican News’ YouTube channel.
What to expect
Saturday’s funeral Mass will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals.
It will be simpler than past papal funerals because of changes Pope Francis made to the papal funeral rites. However, it may not seem simple to observers, since it will still feature plenty of pageantry.
There will be a procession of cardinals and a reflection on the pope’s leadership. Thousands of cardinals, bishops and priests will celebrate the funeral Mass together.
“Most of the funeral will be celebrated in Latin, and there will be incense and hymns and Gregorian chants,” The New York Times reported.
After the funeral, a procession will take the coffin to Pope Francis’ burial site: Rome’s Basilica of Saint Mary Major.
Popes are often buried in St. Peter’s Basilica, but Pope Francis chose Saint Mary Major in large part because of its ties to his religious order, the Jesuits.
“Seven other popes are buried there, but none since 1669,” The Associated Press reported.
What happens next?
Pope Francis’ funeral marks the start of a formal nine-day mourning period.
The following eight days will feature special Masses led by Catholic cardinals from around the world.
“While these Eucharistic celebrations are open to everyone, each day a different group is scheduled to participate — based on their connection with the Holy Father," Vatican News reported.
The conclave, or the process by which the Catholic Church chooses a new pope, is expected to begin sometime between May 6 and May 11, according to Reuters.