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Doors close as Pope's burial ceremony continues in private

A short, private service will take place here (it won't be televised).

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by BBC NEWS

World26 April 2025 - 15:05
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In Summary


  • The coffin of Pope Francis was taken inside of Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome.
  • This will be the late Pope's final resting place.
Pope Francis' coffin/Screengrab



The doors have been closed as Pope's burial ceremony continues in private.

The pallbearers have now gone inside a section of the church of Santa Maria Maggiore away from public view for a private ceremony.

One of Francis' requests before his death was that he be laid to rest in a simple tomb in the ground bearing only the inscription "Franciscus", the Latin version of his chosen name.

The coffin of Pope Francis was taken inside of Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome.

This will be the late Pope's final resting place.

A short, private service will take place here (it won't be televised), but people are gathering inside the church.

The Vatican announced earlier that people will be able to visit Francis' tomb from Sunday morning.

The popemobile carrying the Pope's coffin arrived at the church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

Pallbearers were lifting the coffin from the vehicle to be taken inside.

The procession left Vatican City and followed a 6km (3.75 miles) route over the Tiber River.

Pope Francis' coffin travelled along the back of on adapted 'popemobile'.

The public have only been allowed to follow the journey from behind barriers on the streets, rather than directly behind the procession.

The popemobile travelled through central Rome to Piazza Venezia, passing the Colosseum.Francis' body will be buried in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

He is the first pope since Leo XIII, who died in 1903, to be buried outside the Vatican.

Every time Francis returned to Rome after a trip abroad, he always visited Santa Maria Maggiore.



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