VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- For thousands of young teens who traveled to Rome for the Jubilee of Teenagers, the announcement of Pope Francis' death came as a shock.

For many, the joy of commemorating the Jubilee Year dedicated to hope was suddenly mingled with grief at the loss of the pontiff, who passed away April 21, and uncertainty about how it would affect their pilgrimage to Rome.

"We have been preparing for the Jubilee since January," 22-year-old Vincenzo Pirico, who was accompanying a group of teens from the central Italian city of Pisa, told Catholic News Service April 27. "When we received the announcement of the Holy Father's death, the spirit with which we participated (these days) truly changed." 

Gustavo Molina, a young man from Quito, Ecuador, said the news of the pope's passing felt "like a cold shower."

However, for him and the group of teens he accompanied, grief over the pope's passing turned to gratefulness for the opportunity to be in Rome to pay their respects and say goodbye to the first Latin American pope.

"We were lucky to be here," Molina told CNS. "Everyone was still active, laughing, trying to stay as united as possible in this moment of mourning for the pope."

"The important thing is that we are all together to give one last honor to our dear pope because he was very much loved, especially in the Hispanic community."

Not long after the pope's death was announced, the Vatican said the closing Mass of the Jubilee of Teenagers would not include the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis, the first millennial to become a saint, but it would be a memorial Mass instead.

Pope Francis had approved the decree for the canonization of Blessed Acutis May 23, 2024, and announced the date for his canonization at the end of November.

The late pontiff's April 26 funeral marked the beginning of the "novendiali," a nine-day period of mourning in which memorial Masses are celebrated each day at St. Peter's Basilica.

Nevertheless, despite that period of mourning, tens of thousands filled the main road -- Via della Conciliazione -- that led to a jam-packed St. Peter's Square. Many waving flags, singing and applauding.

According to the Vatican press office, an estimated 200,000 people were present for the memorial Mass.

"I'm sure Pope Francis is looking down on this day, and his heart is filled with joy because he calls us to a Jubilee of hope. And this certainly is a Jubilee of hope, isn't it?" Archbishop Nelson J. Perez of Philadelphia told CNS. 

Like many who had come to Rome, Archbishop Nelson had come for Blessed Acutis' canonization. But for him, the change to a memorial Mass for Pope Francis was a fitting tribute to a pope who loved, and was loved by, young people.

"Pope Francis said that these young people are not the hope of the future; he actually said they are the now of God. And they're certainly giving witness to that here today," the archbishop said. "It's a great blessing."

When asked about his thoughts on the church's future in the coming days before the conclave, Archbishop Nelson told CNS that it was an "exciting time for the church" and is confident that, like Pope Francis, the next pontiff will be exactly what the world needs.

"I was asked not too long ago, 'Are you worried about who the next pope is going to be?' And I said, 'No, absolutely not,'" the archbishop said. "The Spirit of God has always given us the pope that we needed at the time we needed. We needed our pope. And so I know the Spirit will guide that process and the church will receive him with great joy and great love, as we always do."

The pope's death not only came as a shock to those attending the April 27 Mass, but for pilgrims who had come to pass through the Holy Door during the Jubilee year.

Father Andrea Filippucci, a priest of the Diocese of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, led a group of nearly 100 pilgrims from across three of the islands to Rome to participate in the Jubilee.

Like so many around the world, Father Filippucci -- who hails from Rome -- told CNS in a telephone interview April 26 that he and his group were in disbelief after the pope's death was announced.

"We just saw the pope giving a blessing for the "Urbi et Orbi," he said, referring to the pope's Easter Sunday blessing "to the city and to the world."

"He looked tired, but I think nobody could have expected that he would have passed so quickly. So, obviously, the first reaction was a bit of shock. Is it fake news? How is it possible?"

"I will confess, with Pope Francis' death, it was a moment where I was kind of confused; in the sense that I wasn't expecting it. And it honestly felt a little bit too coincidental at first," said 19-year-old Fayshia Donelly, one of the U.S. Virgin Island pilgrims. 

Another member of the group, Briah Ryan told CNS that despite the sadness of the pope's death, she was grateful for the chance to be "a part of this historic time" and that the pilgrimage has been a time to learn about the process of choosing a new pope which "is all very new to me."

"I find it to be an incredible experience and it's going to be something I'm going to remember the rest of my life," she said.

Father Filippucci told CNS the pilgrimage was a "time of prayer" for Pope Francis and "for the Holy Spirit to call the right man to lead the church during this time."

"Our pilgrimage was first based on hope, on passing through the Holy Doors, on getting an indulgence, and that was kind of the theme," the Italian priest said, adding that upon the pope's death, the theme switched to reflect on St. Peter and "the beautiful history God does" with him.

Peter was "not a superhero, but he's somebody who many times doubts and makes a mess, and yet God loves him. So, that's a great hope for us," Father Filippucci said.

"It gave us the opportunity to speak about St. Peter (not only) as the first bishop of the church, but also as an image for us Christians on this journey that God doesn't ask us to be perfect, but he asks us to lean on him and to trust in him," he said.

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Contributing to this story was Justin McLellan at the Vatican.
 

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.

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.

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.

Pope Francis and Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb sign the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together in 2019 . / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI MENA, Apr 26, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

With the passing of Pope Francis, the world is reflecting on a pontificate marked by bold outreaches, including to the Islamic world, which was rooted in fraternity, humility, and a deep commitment to peace. How did the Holy Father view Islam and Muslim peoples during his time as pope? What is the position of the Islamic world toward him?

From the very beginning of his papacy in 2013, Pope Francis sought to build bridges with the Islamic world. This is a distinctly evangelical approach, following the example of Jesus, who, during his earthly life, deeply connected with those who differed from him and with people from outside his own environment.

Pope Francis, by placing great importance on Christian-Islamic communication, took his cues from the saint whose name he chose to bear: Francis of Assisi, who created channels of communication between East and West in times marked by violence and bloodshed — similar to those of our own day. 

The pope also aligned himself with the Second Vatican Council, which called for open dialogue with Muslims. One example of this was his signing of the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together with the grand imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed al-Tayeb, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 

Over the course of his papacy, Francis visited 13 Muslim-majority countries — despite increasing health challenges and advanced age. These nations included Egypt, Iraq, the UAE, Bahrain, Turkey, Morocco, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bangladesh, Jordan, Palestine, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Albania.

He brought to these visits a personality and pastoral style marked by humility, simplicity of life, closeness to people, and a desire to express love and fraternity with those he met. Examples of this include washing the feet of a Muslim woman and his quoting a Quranic verse on another occasion. 

All of this has prompted the moderate Islamic world to reciprocate his love and cooperate with him in order to consolidate brotherhood among peoples and to work to achieve a better world characterized by understanding, mutual respect, and peace.

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

Pope Francis blesses St. Peter’s Square with the Blessed Sacrament during the statio orbis prayer to end COVID-19 pandemic, Friday, March 27, 2020. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Apr 26, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Pope Francis’ pontificate spanned 12 years and numerous major global events — including international gatherings, the COVID-19 crisis, and the Synod on Synodality — that saw him delivering prayers often under extraordinary and historical conditions.

Here are five of the most memorable prayers the late Holy Father delivered over the course of his papacy. 

March 2013: First benediction urbi et orbi

Stepping out onto the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica as Pope Francis, a name he chose in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, people were immediately struck by the simple appearance of the Church’s new pontiff elected to lead the world’s approximately 1.4 billion Catholics. 

Before imparting the first urbi et orbi blessing of his pontificate, the Argentine pope bowed his head, asked the blessing of the people, and prayed in silence with those gathered in St. Peter’s Square and the Via della Conciliazione.

“And now, we take up this journey: bishop and people,” he said. “This journey of the Church of Rome which presides in charity over all the Churches. A journey of fraternity, of love, of trust among us. Let us always pray for one another. Let us pray for the whole world, that there may be a great spirit of fraternity.”

July 2013: World Youth Day welcoming ceremony on Copacabana Beach, Brazil 

Pope Francis made history when he successfully called more than 1 million young people to observe several minutes of prayerful silence at a single event, at World Youth Day in 2013.

Showing great care for all those who suffer, the Holy Father asked the cheering crowds to first be mindful of those who could not join them for the World Youth Day festivities before continuing his prepared speech. 

“Before I continue, I would like to call to mind the tragic accident in French Guiana that young people suffered on their way to this World Youth Day. There young Sophie Morinière was killed and other young people were wounded. I invite all of you to observe a moment of silence and of prayer to God, Our Father, for Sophie, for the wounded, and for their families.”

April 2018: Consoling, praying with a boy whose father died not believing in God  

Pope Francis’ encounter with a young boy mourning the loss of his father was a personal yet powerful moment of prayer that caught the attention of people around the world.

The pope listened intently to what the tearful boy had to say and assured him that God does not choose to abandon people even if they did not believe in him. 

“It’s nice that a son says that about his father, that he ‘was good.’ If that man was able to raise his children like that, then he was a good man … God surely was proud of your father, because it is easier when one is a believer to baptize his children than to baptize them when you are an unbeliever. Surely God likes this so much. Talk to your dad, pray for your dad.” 

March 2020: Statio orbis prayer to end COVID-19 pandemic

Pope Francis blessing the world with the Eucharist before an empty St. Peter’s Square at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic is considered to be one of the most memorable moments of his pontificate.

The Holy Hour and special urbi et orbi blessing was livestreamed by the Vatican on a wet and cold evening on March 27, 2020.

Before the Byzantine icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known as the “Salus Populi Romani” (“Health of the Roman People”) and the 14th-century statue of the “Miraculous Crucifix” brought to a dark and wet St. Peter’s Square, the Holy Father pleaded to God on behalf of the Church for faith and strength amid the crisis: 

“Look at your Church, which crosses the desert; 

Console us, O Lord.

Look at humanity, terrified by fear and anguish; 

Console us, O Lord.

Look at the sick and the dying, oppressed by loneliness; 

Console us, O Lord.

Look at the doctors and health workers, exhausted by fatigue; 

Console us, O Lord. 

Look at the politicians and administrators, who bear the weight of choices; 

Console us, O Lord.”

May 2022: International prayer for peace in Ukraine, war-torn countries

The Holy Father held those affected by the Russia-Ukraine war close to his heart, describing its end as his “wish for 2025.” Every general audience and Sunday Angelus address was used as an opportunity by the pontiff to ask people to pray for peace to reign in Ukraine and Russia.

Entrusting every man, woman, and child suffering war and violence to the Mother of God, the pope consecrated both Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on March 25, 2022.

“Accept this act that we carry out with confidence and love. Grant that war may end and peace spread throughout the world. The ‘fiat’ that arose from your heart opened the doors of history to the Prince of Peace. We trust that, through your heart, peace will dawn once more. To you we consecrate the future of the whole human family, the needs and expectations of every people, the anxieties and hopes of the world.”

October 2024: Pope leads rosary for peace in the Basilica of St. Mary Major

The same day Pope Francis opened the Vatican’s final session of the Synod on Synodality’s three-year discernment phase, he invited every Christian to participate in a global day of prayer and fasting on Oct. 7, 2024, to bring an end to the Israel-Hamas war, which broke out the same day the year before.

On the evening vigil of the Oct. 7 feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Holy Father led the recitation of the prayer dedicated to the Mother of God to begin the Church’s day of prayer and fasting to overcome “diabolical plots of war” carried out throughout the world.

“Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary, loosen the knots of selfishness and dispel the dark clouds of evil. Fill us with your tenderness, lift us up in your caring embrace, and bestow on us, your children, your motherly caress, which gives us hope for the coming of a new humanity where ‘the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. The effect of righteousness will be peace’ (Is 32:15-17). O mother, Salus Populi Romani, pray for us!”