Funeral Rites for Pope Francis

Information About the Funeral Rites for Pope Francis

The body of Pope Francis will be carried into St. Peter’s Basilica for public viewing and prayer early on Wednesday, April 23. St. Peter’s Basilica will remain open for the faithful to pay their respects to the late Pope on Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. to midnight; on Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to midnight; and on Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The funeral Mass of Pope Francis will be celebrated on Saturday, April 26 in St. Peter’s Square at 10:00 a.m. local time (4:00 a.m. EDT). Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside over the liturgy. The Mass will be concelebrated by Patriarchs, Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, and priests from across the globe, and will begin a nine-day period of official mourning and daily Masses for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis.

The funeral will be broadcast live on Vatican Media’s YouTube channel and official websites. Major news networks like BBC and NBC News will also offer live coverage of the funeral, as will local Catholic media outlets.

Memorial Masses in the Archdiocese of Boston

Archbishop Richard Henning has announced that as the universal Church prepares for Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome, here in the Archdiocese of Boston there will be three opportunities for clergy, religious, and the lay faithful to pray for the Holy Father’s eternal rest.

The schedule of the three Masses is as follows:

• Wednesday, April 23, 7:00 p.m. at St. Theresa of Avila Church, 2078 Centre Street, West Roxbury
• Thursday, April 24, 7:00 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Church, 144 East Merrimack Street, Lowell
• Friday, April 25, 7:00 p.m. at St. James Church, 560 Page Street, Stoughton

The Boston Archdiocese strongly encourages the faithful to attend one of these three Masses.

Mass at Saint Cecilia

At Saint Cecilia, we will have a memorial Mass for Pope Francis on Friday, May 2 at 8:00 a.m. This Mass will not be livestreamed.