Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88, is now lying in state in an open casket at the Chapel of Santa Marta, the Vatican guesthouse he called home for over a decade. The Vatican has released poignant images of the late pontiff, dressed in simple white papal vestments, as mourners quietly begin to pay their respects.
Church officials have announced that the memorial service will take place this Saturday at St. Peter’s Basilica, with global leaders and faithful expected to attend.
Meanwhile, members of the College of Cardinals have begun gathering in Rome to organize the funeral and prepare for the papal conclave that will elect the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church. In the interim, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, an Irish-born American, has assumed temporary governance of the Holy See.
According to a report from The Times UK, Pope Francis remained devoted to his mission until the very end, continuing to work from his hospital bed and defying medical advice to rest. Just one day before his death, he met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, and only a week earlier, he briefly welcomed Britain’s King and Queen during Holy Week.
His final public appearance, on Easter Sunday, was widely seen as a symbolic farewell. Seated in a wheelchair beside Archbishop Diego Ravelli on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, Francis appeared frail, his voice reduced to a whisper. Yet he insisted on touring the square in the popemobile, blessing children and waving to the crowd — a gesture that many now view as his final act of love and leadership.
Observers have reflected on the Pope’s defiant spirit in his last days, choosing presence over seclusion. “Perhaps he imagined that something was going to happen and wanted to embrace everyone,” said Vatican journalist Fabio Marchese Ragona. “Every time he was with the people, it was as though he was re-energised. This was what he wanted — to take his leave with a public farewell.”
Francis’s health had visibly declined in recent weeks. After a brief hospitalisation, doctors recommended he rest for two months and reduce public contact. Instead, he increased his appearances, making unscheduled visits to prisons, chapels, and even mingling with tourists. At times, he appeared in unconventional attire — black trousers, a thermal vest, and a striped poncho — prompting both criticism and praise.
To his admirers, Francis’s disregard for convention and willingness to show his vulnerability reflected the very heart of his papacy. “With his passing, it feels as though a whole generation has gone with him,” said one Vatican insider, echoing sentiments from The Times UK. “He embodied an era of humility, reform, and compassion that will not soon be forgotten.”
