On April 23, 2025, the Vatican entered a rare and reverent chapter in its long history. The body of Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday, was transferred from Casa Santa Marta—his chosen residence throughout his papacy—to St. Peter’s Basilica, where he now lies in state for three days of public mourning.
The transfer procession began just after sunrise. Members of the Swiss Guard, accompanied by bishops and Vatican officials, led the cypress wood coffin through St. Peter’s Square. As it came into view, the gathered crowd offered a spontaneous and solemn round of applause—a traditional Italian gesture reserved for moments of deep respect and farewell. It was a rare sound in a place so often filled with the hum of tourism.
Inside the basilica, Pope Francis rests before the Altar of the Confession, beneath the dome of Michelangelo. The basilica will remain open from 7:00 a.m. to midnight daily through April 25, as thousands make the pilgrimage to pay their final respects. Many arrive after hours of travel. Others wait in silence, holding rosaries, photographs, or simply memories.
These moments form part of an intricate and deeply symbolic process that follows the death of a pope—a process rooted in centuries-old tradition, and rarely witnessed in modern times. Earlier this year, we explored this in depth in our article What Happens When the Pope Passes Away? A Guide for Visitors to the Vatican, offering a closer look at the rites, protocols, and what it means for those in the city during such a profound moment.
The funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, April 26 at 10:00 a.m., presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals. Heads of state, religious leaders, and thousands of mourners from around the world are expected to attend. In accordance with his wishes, Pope Francis will be buried at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, a choice that mirrors the simplicity and humility that defined his life and leadership.
As Rome holds its breath, and as the world watches, the Vatican has become a place of stillness. Of gratitude. Of gentle goodbyes. Pope Francis, who spent his life walking close to the people, now rests among them—welcomed by silence, by prayer, and by the enduring memory of a man who chose mercy as his mission.
Similar Blog Posts
Everyone assumes they know what it’s like to be a guide in Rome. Most of what they assume is charmingly, understandably wrong. Here’s what people get mixed up before they’ve even met their guide.
Myth #1: “You must just love talking”
People figure if you enjoy chatting with strangers, you’re basically qualified.
Every year, millions of visitors line up outside the Vatican Museums hoping to see the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, and centuries of art housed within Vatican City. And every year, we help more of them skip the wait, understand what they’re looking at, and actually enjoy the experience — which is why What a Life Tours has become the go-to name for Vatican tours in Rome.
Here’s what that leadership actually looks like on the ground.
Rome has over 900 churches, and each one is a layered document — part sermon, part propaganda, part family scrapbook of the people who paid for it. Learn to read a facade as a thesis statement, a ceiling as a narrative sequence, and a side chapel as a family’s bid for permanent memory. Then put it all to the test on two churches that were built to trick you: the “identical” twins of Piazza del Popolo, where the illusion of symmetry turns out to be the whole point.