Pope's Funeral to Be on April 26; Many World Leaders Expected to Attend

Death Sets in Motion Ancient Rituals of 1.4 Billion-Member Catholic Church

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VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis' funeral will take place early on April 26, setting the stage for a solemn ceremony that will draw leaders from around the world.

Pope Francis, 88, died on April 21 after suffering a stroke and cardiac arrest, the Vatican said, ending an often turbulent reign in which he repeatedly clashed with traditionalists, and championed the poor and marginalized.

According to the death certificate released by the Vatican, the pontiff died of a stroke, resulting in a coma and "irreversible" heart failure.

The certificate also revealed he had Type 2 diabetes, which was not previously public knowledge.

Pope Francis spent five weeks in hospital earlier in 2025 for double pneumonia. But he returned to his Vatican home almost a month ago and had seemed to be recovering, appearing at St. Peter's Square on Easter Sunday.

The Vatican on April 22 released photographs of Pope Francis dressed in his vestments and laid out in a wooden coffin in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence, where he lived during his 12-year papacy.