Pope Francis’ coffin is now being carried out of St. Peter’s Basilica into St. Peter’s Square.
Today’s ceremony will differ in several ways from traditional papal funerals. Notably, Pope Francis requested a simpler farewell—he will be laid to rest in a plain wooden coffin, rather than the customary three.
These modest final wishes reflect the humility that defined his leadership of the Catholic Church. Throughout his papacy, he consistently championed the marginalized, especially refugees, and called for greater compassion toward those forced to flee their homes.
“Sometimes foreign people are invisible,” said Cedric Musau Kasongo, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo who met the Pope in 2023. “To be in front of the Pope, to greet him, to hold his hand—it was a powerful moment. I felt welcomed, seen, and heard.”
