St. John's Catholic Church

Original painting of the Divine Mercy by Eugeniusz Kazimirowski in 1934; Pope John Paul II in 1996. / Credit: Wikimedia Commons 4.0; Vatican Media

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 27, 2025 / 05:00 am (CNA).

On April 30, 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized Maria Faustina Kowalska and declared the second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday. This year, we celebrate the feast on April 27.

In his devotion, Pope John Paul II entrusted the world to divine mercy two years later, when he consecrated the International Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Lagiewniki, Poland.

Standing before the image of divine mercy, the pope said: “I wish solemnly to entrust the world to divine mercy. I do so with the burning desire that the message of God’s merciful love, proclaimed here through St. Faustina, may be made known to all the peoples of the earth and fill their hearts with hope.”

He finished his homily with this prayer:

God, merciful Father,

in your Son, Jesus Christ, you have revealed your love

and poured it out upon us in the Holy Spirit, the Comforter,

We entrust to you today the destiny of the world and of every man and woman.

Bend down to us sinners,

heal our weakness,

conquer all evil,

and grant that all the peoples of the earth

may experience your mercy.

In you, the Triune God,

may they ever find the source of hope.

Eternal Father,

by the passion and resurrection of your Son,

have mercy on us and upon the whole world!

The consecration and entrustment of the world to Divine Mercy represented the fulfillment of a mission for Maria Faustina Kowalska (1905–1938). Faustina, a poor, young Polish nun, experienced visions of Jesus in which he asked her to make his message of infinite love and mercy known to the world. At the request of her spiritual director, she made a record of the visions in her diary.

In his visitations, Jesus asked her to have a painting made portraying him as he appeared to her. In her diary she recorded the vision:

“Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: ‘Jesus, I trust in you.’ I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and then throughout the world. I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish.”

In another visitation, he asked the nun that she help establish Divine Mercy Sunday on the first Sunday after Easter to offer the world salvation.

Faustina recorded Jesus’ words: “This feast emerged from the very depths of my mercy, and it is confirmed in the vast depths of my tender mercies. Every soul believing and trusting in my mercy will obtain it.”

It was the mission that Pope John Paul II also felt called to help complete.

If St. Faustina was the initial receptacle for the message of divine mercy, her Polish compatriot saw to it that the requests Jesus made of the nun were fulfilled, and the devotion spread throughout the world.

As a young seminarian in Krakow in 1940, Karol Wojtyla first learned of St. Faustina’s revelations and the message of divine mercy. Later as a priest, he was a frequent visitor to the convent where Faustina lived, stopping by to pray and hold retreats. When he became archbishop of Krakow, he led the effort to put Faustina’s name before the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and defended her when the validity of her claims was questioned in Rome. 

As pope, he published his second encyclical, Dives in Misericordia (Rich in Mercy), on Nov. 30, 1980. 

The following year, while recovering from an assassination attempt, Pope John Paul II traveled to the Shrine of Merciful Love in Collevalenza, Italy, where he revealed that he felt spreading the message of divine mercy to be his greatest calling.

”Right from the beginning of my ministry in St. Peter’s See in Rome, I considered this message my special task. Providence has assigned it to me in the present situation of man, the Church, and the world. It could be said that precisely this situation assigned that message to me as my task before God,” he said.

At the beatification of St. Faustina on April 18, 1993, the pope spoke of his delight at witnessing the popularity of the devotion to divine mercy.

“Her mission continues and is yielding astonishing fruit. It is truly marvelous how her devotion to the merciful Jesus is spreading in our contemporary world and gaining so many human hearts!” the pope said.

Yet there was more to be done. On Divine Mercy Sunday, April 30, 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized St. Faustina Kowalska and declared the second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday.

When Pope John Paul II entrusted the world to divine mercy, he shared his hope that the world would hear the message that God is merciful. Quoting from Faustina’s diary, he said:

“May this message radiate from this place to our beloved homeland and throughout the world. May the binding promise of the Lord Jesus be fulfilled: from here there must go forth ‘the spark which will prepare the world for his final coming’” (cf. Diary, 1732).

“This spark needs to be lighted by the grace of God. This fire of mercy needs to be passed on to the world. In the mercy of God the world will find peace and mankind will find happiness! I entrust this task to you, dear brothers and sisters, to the Church in Kraków and Poland, and to all the votaries of divine mercy who will come here from Poland and from throughout the world. May you be witnesses to mercy!” he said.

Today, devotion to divine mercy is popular among Catholics around the world. Churches and shrines and religious orders have dedicated themselves to sharing the message received by St. Faustina and which St. John Paul II considered his “task before God.”

To learn more about the divine mercy devotion, visit the website for the divine mercy shrine in Poland or the National Divine Mercy Shrine in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

This story was first published on Aug. 17, 2022, and has been updated.

Cardinal John Dew speaking during a press conference in Wellington, New Zealand / New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference

CNA Newsroom, Apr 27, 2025 / 00:01 am (CNA).

In an emotional tribute, Cardinal John Dew of New Zealand on Sunday reflected on both the late pontiff’s lasting legacy and the solemn simplicity of his funeral liturgy.

“I think for me, there was this deep gratitude for what Pope Francis has done for the Church in the 12 years that he was the Pontiff — and for the world,” Dew said in a statement released early Sunday local time.

“It’s very emotional to think of that, too, that he’s had such an effect on the world.”

The cardinal described Saturday’s funeral as “very beautifully done, very simply done,” a fitting farewell for a pope who emphasized humility throughout his pontificate.

During the nine days of mourning known as the “novendiales” — and the time headed into the conclave —, Dew explained the College of Cardinals will engage in “prayer and conversation” as they prepare for the upcoming conclave to elect Francis' successor.

Dew, whom Pope Francis elevated to the College of Cardinals in 2015, will be one of an expected 135 cardinals who will vote in this conclave.

“These will be opportunities for conversations, for people to describe the kind of person that they believe would be the right person to lead the Church, the qualities that are needed,” he said.

The prelate added that cardinals will discuss “what’s needed in the Church today and what's needed in the world today.”

Third NZ cardinal to vote in a conclave

Cardinal Dew retired as Archbishop of Wellington on May 5, 2023 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age for bishops. He is New Zealand’s fourth cardinal, following Cardinal Peter McKeefry, Cardinal Reginald Delargey and Cardinal Thomas Williams.

Dew, who turns 77 on May 5, will become the third New Zealander to participate in a papal election when the conclave begins following the conclusion of the mourning period next Sunday.

null / Credit: ArtOlympic/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Apr 26, 2025 / 13:00 pm (CNA).

Federal agents arrested a Wisconsin judge and former Catholic Charities director this week over allegations that she sheltered an illegal immigrant from being arrested by law enforcement earlier this month.

A criminal complaint, filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, alleges that Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan helped hide Mexican national Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who was present illegally in the United states and who had been charged in Milwaukee with domestic battery.

Police showed up at the Milwaukee County Courthouse on April 18 planning to arrest Flores-Ruiz after a hearing in his criminal case. The hearing was scheduled to take place in Dugan’s courtroom, according to the complaint.

Upon learning of the looming arrest, Dugan reportedly became “visibly angry” and subsequently confronted the federal agents over their plans. Afterward, according to the complaint, she “escorted Flores-Ruiz and his counsel out of the courtroom” through a “jury door” and to a “nonpublic area of the courthouse.” Flores-Ruiz’s case was reportedly adjourned shortly thereafter.

Agents ultimately arrested the suspect outside of the courthouse after he allegedly attempted to flee on foot.

The complaint charges Dugan with “obstructing or impeding a proceeding” of a U.S. agency as well as “concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest.”

Prior to becoming a judge, Dugan had served for nearly three years as executive director of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, resigning in 2009, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

The judge’s LinkedIn profile lists her as having led the Catholic charity “through board restructuring and services reorganization.”

Prior to her election to the Milwaukee circuit court, Dugan served as a civil law attorney in Milwaukee.

Dugan’s lawyer this week said during a hearing in federal court that the judge “wholeheartedly regrets and protests her arrest.”

“It was not made in the interest of public safety,” he argued.

Pallbearers process with the coffin of Pope Francis during his funeral at St. Peter’s Square, Saturday, April 26, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Apr 26, 2025 / 12:00 pm (CNA).

The wooden coffin of Pope Francis arrived at the Basilica of St. Mary Major just after 1 p.m. local time in Rome on Saturday, completing the solemn procession from St. Peter’s Square through the streets of Rome and bringing an end to the funeral of the late pontiff.

Nearly half a million mourners gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday morning, while crowds of faithful lined the route to St. Mary Major as the late pontiff made his final journey to the basilica he visited more than 100 times during his papacy.

Pallbearers process with the coffin of Pope Francis during his funeral at St. Peter’s Square, Saturday, April 26, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Apr 26, 2025 / 12:00 pm (CNA).

The wooden coffin of Pope Francis arrived at the Basilica of St. Mary Major just after 1 p.m. local time in Rome on Saturday, completing the solemn procession from St. Peter’s Square through the streets of Rome and bringing an end to the funeral of the late pontiff.

Nearly half a million mourners gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday morning, while crowds of faithful lined the route to St. Mary Major as the late pontiff made his final journey to the basilica he visited more than 100 times during his papacy.

Pope Francis meets with his longtime fellow Buenos Aires friends Rabbi Abraham Skorka and Muslim leader Omar Abboudan at Jerusalem’s wailing wall on May 26, 2014. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Apr 26, 2025 / 11:00 am (CNA).

With both bold gestures and strong words, Pope Francis laid out a path of fraternity that consistently challenged religious and geopolitical boundaries, often within the context of the severe tensions that surround ongoing international conflicts.

In 2021, for example, during his apostolic trip to Slovakia, the Holy Father met with the Jewish community there and referred to the “madness of hatred” that led to the murder of more than 100,000 Slovak Jews during World War II. “We are united in condemning all violence, all forms of antisemitism, and in striving to ensure that the image of God in the human person is not profaned,” he said.

In November 2023, a few weeks after the war between Hamas and Israel began, Pope Francis received the Conference of European Rabbis, a meeting in which he expressed concern and condemned “the spread of antisemitic manifestations.”

Drawing on the words of St. John Paul II, he addressed the Jewish community with the words “dear brothers” and “elder brothers.”

The dialogue between Jews and Christians, Pope Francis declared, “is more than an interreligious dialogue; it is a family dialogue” whose members are bound “to one another before the one God.”

His closeness to the Jewish community and his priority for interreligious dialogue did not begin with his pontificate but date back to his time in Argentina. 

In 1994, Jorge Mario Bergoglio was auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires when the attack against the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA, by its Spanish acronym) was perpetrated, leaving 85 dead. There are 11 fugitives in the case still at large with active national and international arrest warrants.

The Supreme Court of Argentina found that Iran-backed Hezbollah mercenaries were responsible for the deadly bombing. 

In 2005, as archbishop of Buenos Aires, Bergoglio was the first signatory of the manifesto “AMIA, 85 lives, 85 signatures,” a document based on the demand for “a country without impunity, with a better justice system, with education and health care for all, without discrimination or exclusion, and that we may preserve the memory of the things that were done wrong so as not to repeat them,” according to La Nación.

Creation of Institute for Interreligious Dialogue

As cardinal primate of Argentina, he promoted the creation of the Institute for Interreligious Dialogue, whose co-presidents are Rabbi Daniel Goldman, the Islamic leader Omar Abboud, and the priest Guillermo Marcó.

In an interview with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, Goldman and Marcó emphasized the importance of Pope Francis in building bridges between both faith communities.

For Goldman, the success of interreligious dialogue lies not so much in institutional actions but in personal relationships that generate profound changes. He therefore believes that “the spaces of affection developed jointly by Guillermo [Marcó], Omar Abboud, and Jorge Bergoglio have been essential in bearing witness to how, despite our differences, there are so many similarities that allow us to discover in each of us what the other’s religious tradition contains in our own lives.”

In this regard, he emphasized that working together has allowed us to overcome the concept of “tolerance” and move first toward “coexistence” and then toward truly “living together in harmony,” an attitude of mutual support where “I cannot live without the other person [also] living."

Argentina, an example of interreligious harmony 

Marcó recalled that when Bergoglio first arrived in Buenos Aires, interreligious dialogue was not a priority on his agenda. However, after the attack on the Israeli Embassy In 1992 before he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires and the 1994 attack on the AMIA, he became actively involved with the Jewish and Muslim communities, marking milestones such as his visit to the Islamic Center and officials from AMIA and the Delegation of Argentine Israelite Associations, a gesture that became a tradition for those who succeeded him as archbishop of Buenos Aires.

“The interesting thing about the format we developed in Argentina, which he later brought to the Holy See, is that at the institute, we proposed not to emphasize the things that divide us but rather the things that unite us," the priest noted.

Both Goldman and Marcó agree that Argentina is an example of interreligious harmony. “I can attest to that. Over the last 25 years, we have built this institute of dialogue, and I couldn’t think of anything in my life without a sense of the deep friendship and brotherhood I have developed with Guillermo and Omar,” the Jewish leader emphasized.

Marcó cited for example initiatives such as the interreligious dialogue training course, the Day for Interreligious Dialogue, and the Night of the Temples, events that demonstrate a path in the area that is “unthinkable” in other parts of the world.

During the Night of the Temples people visit the houses of worship of different religions, an opportunity to experience “the religious, historical, cultural, gastronomic, and architectural heritage” of different faith communities. 

As the key to achieving this, Marcó emphasized “that respect for others, without it weakening your own identity. No one hides anything just so others don’t feel uncomfortable.”

However, for Goldman, there is a debt in Argentina that still pains the Jewish community and society as a whole: justice for the attacks that occurred in the 1990s. “The demand for justice regarding the AMIA bombings, regarding the Israeli Embassy, ​​are issues that are very dear to us, significant, and we hopefully expect that at some point this can be resolved, but the delay in justice transforms into injustice,” he lamented.

Despite his efforts to maintain closeness and dialogue, the global context presented challenges for the Holy Father. For Marcó, the pope’s relations with the Jewish world were affected by the war in the Middle East, with gestures such as his calls to the pastor of the only Catholic church in Gaza, the Argentine priest Gabriel Romanelli, although he believes it was a “way of showing that he is keeping an eye on what is happening there.”

He acknowledged that relations might have been “a bit tense,” although he emphasized that Francis condemned terrorism and at the same time expressed his concern for the humanitarian crisis in the region. “The pope always repeated that war is a failure,” he pointed out.

For his part, the rabbi pointed out that “there are certain terms that are painful for Jews, such as the word genocide.”

“We can have our differences. If everyone thought like me, they would all be Jews, and if everyone thought like the pope, they would all be Christians,” he summarized, urging people to “know how to accept disagreement as part of the conversation.”

Despite these obstacles, both agree that Pope Francis left an indelible mark on the path of interreligious dialogue and marked “milestones, from which it is difficult to go back,” Marcó said.

“We can’t be satisfied with where we are; we have to keep moving forward,” Goldman concluded.

In a world where algorithms “tend to radicalize positions,” Marcó said, “the interesting thing about dialogue, about pluralistic thinking, is that when we dialogue with someone, we have to be willing for something to change. You have to come out changed.”

Pope Francis and Rabbi Skorka

The path of dialogue with Judaism led to a friendship between Pope Francis and Rabbi Abraham Skorka, with whom he wrote the book “On Heaven and Earth” and also shared a television program.

It was Skorka who, along with the Islamic leader Omar Abboud, shared an iconic embrace with the Holy Father in front of the Western Wall.

When Cardinal Bergoglio was elected pope, Skorka described him as “a man of integrity, a man of very deep faith, a man who, I would even say, abhors superficiality. A man of sincere simplicity, a man who constantly seeks God.”

On that occasion, the rabbi told CNA that strengthening interreligious dialogue would be one of the key focuses of his pontificate.

In May 2023, Rabbi Skorka received an honorary doctorate from the University of Trnava’s theology department in Slovakia for his contribution to advancing interreligious dialogue.

For the occasion, Pope Francis sent him a congratulatory letter for his commitment and for his positive influence on “two generations of rabbis, as well as Catholic and Protestant theologians.”

“I too have experienced your gift of friendship and wisdom, for which I thank the Lord,” the Holy Father said.

“You have rightly sought to show that people of faith can and must defend human rights in all of life’s situations,” he concluded.

On July 18, 2024, marking the 30th anniversary of the AMIA bombing, Pope Francis sent a letter that was read at the commemorative event in which he stated: “The memory of those who died in that dark tragedy remains alive in our prayers and in our ongoing commitment to justice.”

“Memory can be our guide. It teaches us that remembering is not only looking back but also projecting ourselves with hope toward a future where such reprehensible acts of violence will not be repeated,” he expressed.

The pontiff also encouraged people to continue fighting for “a justice that does not seek revenge or retaliation but rather truth and reparation. A justice that is essential not only for the affected families but also for the cohesion of the nation’s social fabric.”

A message of hope to the Jewish people

On Jan. 26, the eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Pope Francis dedicated a message to the Jewish people, saying: “May the anniversary of the unspeakable cruelty that humanity learned of 75 years ago serve as a summons to pause, to be still, and to remember. We need to do this, lest we become indifferent.”

In this context, he condemned “the horror of the extermination of millions of Jews” and renewed the call to “eradicate the scourge of antisemitism, along with all forms of religious discrimination and persecution.”

“Let us build together a more fraternal, more just world, educating young people to have hearts open to all, in the spirit of fraternity, forgiveness, and peace,” which was his fervent desire.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Providence Bishop-elect Bruce Lewandowski. / Credit: The Diocese of Providence

CNA Staff, Apr 26, 2025 / 10:30 am (CNA).

The Vatican on April 8 announced that Pope Francis had appointed Baltimore Auxiliary Bishop Bruce Lewandowski as the new head of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island.

Less than two weeks later, Pope Francis passed away, leaving behind what Lewandowski — one of the last bishops in the world appointed by the late pontiff — said is a legacy of “closeness” and missionary evangelization. 

Lewandowski told CNA he was “saddened by the pope’s death” and “caught by surprise” when he woke up on April 21 and learned of the Holy Father’s passing. 

“On Easter Sunday we could tell he wasn’t feeling well, but it looked like he was rebounding, to be able to go around in the popemobile,” the bishop said. “It was a surprise to wake up to that news on Monday morning.”

The bishop, who will be installed in Providence on May 20, said he felt a particular closeness to Francis, having met him twice, once during the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in 2015 and once when training to be a bishop in Rome. 

An auxiliary bishop of Baltimore since 2020, Lewandowski said it was “really a surprise” to be appointed to the Rhode Island Diocese. 

“I had just finished a Mass at a scouting camp, out in what I call ‘the wilds’ of Maryland,” the prelate recalled with a laugh. “I didn’t really have good cellphone reception. The phone rang, and I saw it was [Papal Nuncio Cardinal Christophe Pierre], and I pulled over and answered the phone.”

Lewandowski said he has been “very invested” in Baltimore, having served in various ministries there for a decade. 

“But I’m a missionary and Redemptorist,” he said. “And that’s part of our lives, we move from one place to another. When the call came, I said I was willing and ready to do my best for the people of Providence. I’m looking forward to serving them.”

Asked for his thoughts on Francis’ legacy, the bishop said the pope taught the Church how to do missionary work for the world. He said that Francis continued the work done by his two predecessors.

“Pope John Paul II highlighted the missionary charism of the Church by his many travels,” Lewandowski said. “He highlighted evangelization and mission by his many travels.” Pope Benedict XVI, meanwhile, “taught what it meant to be a missionary disciple.” 

But Pope Francis “showed us how,” he said. 

“The word I’ve used over and over again to describe Francis is closeness,” he said. “He called us again and again to get close to each other, to have listening hearts, to listen to each other, and to listen to the Holy Spirit.” 

“He taught us how to evangelize. It’s through relationships. Through coming to know Jesus in a deep and meaningful way.” 

The bishop pointed out that the poor and homeless of Rome have taken part in mourning and remembrance of the late pontiff. 

“That’s telling,” he said. “He had close friends among the poor. I use the term ‘Gospel friendship’ for that. Human friendship is great, but this is an elevated type of friendship that leads us to a greater relationship with Christ and the Church.”

The Holy Father lived out the Gospel, Lewandowski said, “by being close to the poor, close to people who feel far from other people, far from the Church, and far from Jesus. He showed they could experience the closeness of the Lord through him.”

“We’ve talked a lot about evangelization and new evangelization for decades,” the bishop said. “He showed us how to do it.”

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hold a one-on-one meeting at the Vatican prior to Pope Francis’ funeral, Saturday, April 26, 2025. / Credit: Office of the President of Ukraine via Getty Images

CNA Staff, Apr 26, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday held a brief discussion in the soaring halls of St. Peter’s Basilica amid the funeral of Pope Francis, speaking “one-on-one” about possible peace overtures in the Russia-Ukraine war.

“[It was a] good meeting. We discussed a lot one-on-one,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X. “Hoping for results on everything we covered.”

The Ukrainian leader hailed the informal mini-summit as “very symbolic.” The talk took place while the leaders were at the Vatican for the funeral of Pope Francis, who for the last few years of his pontificate was a tireless advocate for peace in the Russia-Ukraine war.

The two heads of state discussed “protecting [the] lives of our people,” a “full and unconditional ceasefire,” and “reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out,” Zelenskyy said.

The discussion “has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results,” he said.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino also shared footage of the meeting, including Vatican officials arranging the ornate chairs for the two leaders to sit in.

Pope Francis regularly used his public addresses, especially his Angelus prayers, to call for peace between Ukraine and Russia.

The Holy Father repeatedly urged the two countries to work toward a peaceful resolution of the conflict. In some cases he even sent material goods to Ukraine, dispatching multiple ambulances to help save lives in war zones there.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hold a one-on-one meeting at the Vatican prior to Pope Francis’ funeral, Saturday, April 26, 2025. / Credit: Office of the President of Ukraine via Getty Images

CNA Staff, Apr 26, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday held a brief discussion in the soaring halls of St. Peter’s Basilica amid the funeral of Pope Francis, speaking “one-on-one” about possible peace overtures in the Russia-Ukraine war.

“[It was a] good meeting. We discussed a lot one-on-one,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X. “Hoping for results on everything we covered.”

The Ukrainian leader hailed the informal mini-summit as “very symbolic.” The talk took place while the leaders were at the Vatican for the funeral of Pope Francis, who for the last few years of his pontificate was a tireless advocate for peace in the Russia-Ukraine war.

The two heads of state discussed “protecting [the] lives of our people,” a “full and unconditional ceasefire,” and “reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out,” Zelenskyy said.

The discussion “has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results,” he said.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino also shared footage of the meeting, including Vatican officials arranging the ornate chairs for the two leaders to sit in.

Pope Francis regularly used his public addresses, especially his Angelus prayers, to call for peace between Ukraine and Russia.

The Holy Father repeatedly urged the two countries to work toward a peaceful resolution of the conflict. In some cases he even sent material goods to Ukraine, dispatching multiple ambulances to help save lives in war zones there.

Prelates watch as Vatican officials prepare Pope Francis’ tomb in the Basilica of St. Mary Major on Saturday, April 26, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Apr 26, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).

Pope Francis was buried Saturday in the Basilica of St. Mary Major after his coffin crossed the center of Rome, marking the pontiff’s final goodbye to the Eternal City.

After the celebration of the funeral Mass in St. Peter’s Square, the pope’s coffin left the Vatican via the Perugino Gate at 12:30 p.m. local time. The simple wooden coffin was transported in a popemobile-style pickup truck and greeted to applause and cheers of “Goodbye, Pope Francis,” and “Good journey, Francis” from a small crowd gathered just outside the Vatican.

The white car carrying the papal coffin winded slowly through Rome, the city of which Pope Francis was bishop, past the white Monument to Victory Emmanuel II, the Roman Forum, and the Colosseum, to arrive at Via Merulana, a wide street leading to the main square of the Basilica of St. Mary Major.

The Vatican and local authorities estimate 150,000 people lined Rome’s streets to wave goodbye to Pope Francis’ coffin. Around 400,000 people attended the funeral Mass.

As the bells of the basilica tolled, a group of poor from Rome were on the steps of the basilica to meet the papal funeral procession and to pay their final respects to the pope who loved them so much.

A small procession of cardinals, bishops, priests, and other Vatican officials led the way into the Marian basilica and to the side chapel housing Francis’ favorite icon of Mary, “Salus Populi Romani,” where four young children laid baskets of white roses before the historic image.

The pope’s burial site, at his request, is the Basilica of St. Mary Major, one of the four papal basilicas in Rome. He joins seven other popes buried in the basilica, with roots dating back to the fifth century.

Francis’ tomb was prepared earlier this week, a white, Italian marble slab in the ground with his name in Latin, “Franciscus.” His distinctive silver pectoral cross, featuring the Good Shepherd carrying the lost sheep, hangs on the wall above.

The tomb is located in a niche of the left-side aisle of the basilica, between the Pauline Chapel (which houses the icon known as “Salus Populi Romani” — “Mary, Protection of the Roman People”) and the Sforza Chapel. An altar dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi is nearby.

Pope Francis made more than 100 visits to the Basilica of St. Mary Major during his pontificate to pray before the “Salus Populi Romani” icon before and after every international trip.

The burial rite, which was carried out in a private ceremony, began with prayer intercessions, asking the Lord to have mercy on Pope Francis, to “accept his good works,” and to “pardon his sins.” The ceremony proceeded with the chanting of the Our Father and the recitation of other prayers in Latin. 

Then, Pope Francis’ coffin was laid in the tomb and Cardinal Kevin Farrell, camerlengo, sprinkled it with holy water while the Marian antiphon “Regina Caeli” was sung.

Some cardinals, Vatican officials, Francis’ personal secretaries, and family members were present for the private burial.

April 26 marks the first day of a nine-day mourning period for the Catholic Church, known as the “Novendiales.” During the nine days, cardinals will celebrate daily Masses for the repose of Pope Francis’ soul. The College of Cardinals will meet every day starting Monday to discuss the future of the Church and the qualities needed in its next leader.

The conclave to elect the new pope is expected to begin the first week of May, though the specific date has not yet been announced.