ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST, SLATERSVILLE RI

Religious sisters gather to pray the rosary for Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Monday, April 21, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Vatican City, Apr 21, 2025 / 16:38 pm (CNA).

The Vatican on Monday evening hosted a praying of the rosary in St. Peter’s Square following the death of Pope Francis earlier in the day.

Thousands of Catholics gathered together in prayer for the Holy Father, who passed away at age 88 due to complications from a medical crisis earlier in the spring.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend the White House Easter Egg Roll on Monday, April 21, 2025. President Trump signed a proclamation at the event ordering flags to be flown at half-staff “as a mark of respect for the memory of His Holiness Pope Francis,” who died Monday. Flags will remain at half-staff until sunset. / Credit: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 21, 2025 / 16:08 pm (CNA).

U.S. President Donald Trump will attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome, the president said on Monday.

“[First Lady] Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome. We look forward to being there!” the president wrote on Truth Social on Monday afternoon.

Trump had earlier in the day ordered all federal and state flags to be flown at half-staff to show respect for Francis and honor his memory following the Monday morning death of the 88-year-old pontiff.

“Rest in peace Pope Francis!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “May God bless him and all who loved him!”

The April 21 proclamation signed by Trump stated that the order is meant “as a mark of respect for the memory of His Holiness Pope Francis.” Flags will remain at half-staff until sunset tonight.

Trump’s order applies to the White House and all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, on all naval vessels, and at all embassies.

“He was a good man, worked hard,” Trump said at the White House Easter Egg Roll event when announcing the proclamation.

“He loved the world and it’s an honor to do that,” the president added.

Speaking to EWTN at the same event, Trump said his message to Catholics at this time is: “We love you all, we’re with you.” 

“They were with me during the election as you know very strongly and it’s just an honor to have the support of the Catholics and I feel very badly for them because they loved the pope,” Trump added.

When asked what he expects the United States’ relationship to be with the incoming pope who will be selected in a papal conclave, Trump said he thinks it will be “very good.”

Trump is a nondenominational Christian, but his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, is Catholic. The two met Pope Francis in May 2017 during Trump’s first term. They discussed collaborations on international affairs, peacekeeping efforts, and the protection of Christian communities in the Middle East.

Former President Joe Biden: ‘He was the people’s pope’

The 46th president, Joe Biden, issued a statement honoring Francis’ death, referring to the pontiff as “a pope for everyone,” “the people’s pope,” and “a light of faith, hope, and love.”

“He was unlike any who came before him,” Biden, who was the country’s second Catholic president, said in a post on X. “Pope Francis will be remembered as one of the most consequential leaders of our time, and I am better for having known him.” 

“For decades, he served the most vulnerable across Argentina and his mission of serving the poor never ceased,” the former president continued. “As pope, he was a loving pastor and challenging teacher who reached out to different faiths. He commanded us to fight for peace and protect our planet from a climate crisis. He advocated for the voiceless and powerless. He made all feel welcome and seen by the Church. He promoted equity and an end to poverty and suffering across the globe.”

Biden met with the pope twice while serving as president, first in October 2021 and second in June 2024.

JD Vance honors pope’s life shortly after meeting him

Vice President JD Vance, who is a convert to Catholicism, briefly met with Francis on Easter Sunday morning, the day before the Holy Father’s death. Vance told the pope that he prays for him every day and it was good to see him “in better health” following the Holy Father’s long-term stay at the hospital.

“I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis,” Vance said in a post on X Monday morning. “My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him. “

“I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill,” the vice president said. “But I’ll always remember him for the … homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful. May God rest his soul.”

Vance also attended a Good Friday service at the Vatican and had a meeting with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin on Holy Saturday.

Secretary of State Rubio: ‘We unite in prayer’

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is Catholic, and his wife also issued a statement through the Department of State mourning the death of Pope Francis.

“On Easter Monday, Jeanette and I are saddened to [hear] the news of Pope Francis’ passing,”
Rubio said. “We unite in prayer with Catholics worldwide for the repose of the pontiff’s soul and for this period of transition for the Catholic Church. May he rest in peace.”

Numerous other world leaders and American lawmakers issued statements honoring the life of Pope Francis on Monday.

This article was updated on Monday, April 21, 2025, at 4:15 p.m. with news that President Donald Trump would attend Pope Francis' funeral in Rome.

Pope Francis arrives at his general audience at the Vatican, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020 / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

CNA Staff, Apr 21, 2025 / 15:38 pm (CNA).

Bishops and cardinals around the United States joined in prayer and mourning following the death of Pope Francis on Monday, recalling the pope’s legacy of service, prayer, and faith.

Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), remembered Pope Francis “for his outreach to those on the margins of the Church and of society.”

The first pope “from our American continent,” Pope Francis was “marked by his experience as a Jesuit and a shepherd in Buenos Aires,” Broglio noted.

“He renewed for us the mission to bring the Gospel out to the ends of the earth and offer divine mercy to all,” Broglio wrote.

Broglio recalled the “prayerful hope” in Pope Francis’ recent letter of support to the U.S. bishops amid efforts by the White House to carry out mass deportations of illegal immigrants.

The pope at the time praised the bishops for “[working] closely with migrants and refugees, proclaiming Jesus Christ and promoting fundamental human rights.”

Pope Francis, Broglio said, “always used the strongest and clearest expressions in the defense of the dignity of the human person from conception to natural death.”

Pointing to the Jubilee Year of Hope, Broglio remembered that the late pope “call[ed] us to a profound hope: one that is not an empty or naïve hope, but one grounded in the promise of Almighty God to be with us always.”

A pastoral heart

Other U.S. Church leaders echoed sentiments of grief, prayer, and recollection while looking ahead to preserve Pope Francis’ legacy.

Cardinal Robert McElroy, archbishop of Washington, D.C., recalled Pope Francis’ “embracing love … that animated his tender personal care for all those whom he encountered personally in their suffering.” 

This love, McElroy said, “led Pope Francis to be a prophetic advocate for the poor and the dispossessed, the unborn and the immigrant, the victims of war and the earth, which is our common home.” 

“It was in these intimate moments of pastoral care that we saw with such poignancy the heart of the pastor who had embodied mercy and love to the suffering in Buenos Aires and refused to diminish that commitment even when the strictures of the papacy fell upon him,” McElroy said. 

“The Church and the world have lost a true shepherd of souls, a beacon of unwavering hope, and a voice of penetrating truth,” McElroy said. 

Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez recalled “the Holy Father’s many kindnesses,” particularly amid the recent wildfires and other times of need in Los Angeles. 

“He was always quick to show his spiritual closeness to us in our times of need,” Gomez said. 

Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, Bishop Robert Barron remembered the late pope as “a man of simplicity, compassion, and deep concern for those on the margins.”

When they met, “his comments would burn their way into my heart and mind,” Barron said. 

Archbishop Nelson Pérez of Philadelphia added that Pope Francis “challenged” the Church to respond to “troubled times” with “the spirit of missionary discipleship.”

The mark of his “rich pastoral legacy” on the Church is, Pérez said, is “indelible.” 

Hope in the Resurrection 

With the Holy Father’s death falling on Easter Monday, many bishops expressed their hope in the Resurrection as they reflected on Pope Francis’ final public appearance on Easter Sunday. 

Baltimore Archbishop William Lori, the vice president of the USCCB, prayed that the “great soul” of Pope Francis may rest in peace.

“Pope Francis goes home to God just as the Church celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, his victory over sin and death,” Lori wrote.  

“Just yesterday, he greeted the crowds in Rome, as if to say farewell to the people of God whom he loved so dearly and served so devotedly,” the prelate said. 

“Often the Holy Father would ask visitors to pray for him,” Lori continued. “I am sure he would want us to pray for him now that he may rest in the peace of the risen Lord.”

New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond expressed his “great sadness” but also hope in the Resurrection. 

“While we are sad as we will miss him in this world, as an Easter people we believe in the Resurrection and believe that Pope Francis has gone home to our Father and now shares in the life of the risen Christ,” Aymond said. 

New York archbishop Cardinal Timothy Dolan mourned “our beloved Pope Francis,” recalling “his simplicity, with his heart of a humble servant.”

“How appropriate that his last public appearance was on Easter Sunday as we celebrated the joy of the resurrection of Jesus whom Pope Francis loved so deeply and so well, and right after our Jewish brothers and sisters, for whom Pope Francis had such great love, concluded their celebration of Passover,” Dolan said.

“It is beautiful that yesterday, on the great feast of the Resurrection, our beloved Holy Father had one last opportunity to greet the faithful,” added Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland, Oregon. “And now, on this Easter Monday, the Lord has called him home to himself.”

Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver encouraged the faithful to live as the “pilgrims of hope” that Pope Francis described in his final address on Easter Sunday. 

“Let us be those who set out on mission to proclaim Jesus Christ risen to our world!” Aquila said.   

Continued work: ‘The greatest tribute we could give’ 

The Catholic bishops also urged the faithful to continue the work to which Pope Francis called the Church.

“The finest memorial we can offer is to re-form our hearts as Pope Francis asked — to see our brothers and sisters, to listen to them and to offer our prayers and actions that all may experience the fullness of God’s promise,” Chicago archbishop Cardinal Blase Cupich said.  

Cupich prayed that God may “strengthen us to remain steadfast in carrying on the work of restoring our Church’s place in the world as a source of hope and an advocate for those in need.” 

Cardinal Joseph Tobin of the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, remembered Pope Francis as a shepherd who “never tired of reminding us of God’s mercy.”

“He was a man of deep faith, profound humility, and unshakable hope — a servant whose tireless call to care for the poor and the marginalized will continue to inspire the Church for generations to come,” Tobin said. 

“May we honor his memory by building a Church that reflects the face of Jesus — merciful, welcoming, and always near to those on the margins,” Tobin continued. 

“The impact of his work for the Catholic Church will be felt for many years to come,” Bishop James Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska, added. “His humility and kindness made him a ‘pope of the people.’”

Pope Francis at the Jubilee of the Sick in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, April 6, 2025, wearing nasal cannulas for supplemental oxygen as he continues recovering from bilateral pneumonia. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/ EWTN News

CNA Newsroom, Apr 21, 2025 / 15:08 pm (CNA).

The Vatican has released the testament of Pope Francis. The 88-year-old pontiff died on Easter Monday morning, April 21, at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta, as confirmed by the Holy See Press Office. He led the Catholic Church for just over 12 years. 

Here is the full text of Pope Francis’ testament:

Miserando atque Eligendo (“With having mercy and choosing him”)

In the name of the Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

As I sense the approaching twilight of my earthly life, and with firm hope in eternal life, I wish to set out my final wishes solely regarding the place of my burial.

Throughout my life, and during my ministry as a priest and bishop, I have always entrusted myself to the Mother of Our Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary. For this reason, I ask that my mortal remains rest — awaiting the day of the Resurrection — in the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major.

I wish my final earthly journey to end precisely in this ancient Marian sanctuary, where I would always stop to pray at the beginning and end of every Apostolic Journey, confidently entrusting my intentions to the Immaculate Mother, and giving thanks for her gentle and maternal care.

I ask that my tomb be prepared in the burial niche in the side aisle between the Pauline Chapel (Chapel of the Salus Populi Romani) and the Sforza Chapel of the Basilica, as shown in the attached plan.

The tomb should be in the ground; simple, without particular ornamentation, bearing only the inscription: Franciscus.

The cost of preparing the burial will be covered by a sum provided by a benefactor, which I have arranged to be transferred to the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major. I have given the necessary instructions regarding this to Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, Extraordinary Commissioner of the Liberian Basilica.

May the Lord grant a fitting reward to all those who have loved me and who continue to pray for me. The suffering that has marked the final part of my life, I offer to the Lord, for peace in the world and for fraternity among peoples.

Santa Marta, 29 June 2022
FRANCIS

Bouquets of flowers are left by visitors to St. Peter's Square on Easter Monday following the news of the death of Pope Francis, Monday, April 21, 2025. / Credit: Kristina Millare/CNA

Vatican City, Apr 21, 2025 / 14:53 pm (CNA).

The Holy See on Monday evening released the death certificate detailing the cause of death of Pope Francis, who died in his Vatican apartment at 7:35 a.m. in Rome on April 21, the day after Easter.

After an examination, Vatican physician Dr. Andrea Arcangeli determined the pope died from a stroke, coma, and irreversible cardiovascular collapse, according to the death certificate published just over 12 hours after Francis’ death.

According to the certificate, compounding factors included Francis’ previous episode of acute respiratory failure from bilateral pneumonia, the chronic disease called bronchiectasis (the permanent enlargement of parts of airways of the lungs), hypertension, and type II diabetes.

Arcangeli, the director of the Vatican’s health and hygiene service, said the cause of death was determined through an EKG.

The Vatican physician is also responsible for ensuring the pontiff’s remains are appropriately preserved so that public exposition of the corpse can be carried out “with the greatest decorum and respect.” 

On the evening of April 21, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo, presided over the “rite of the ascertainment of death and deposition in the coffin” in the chapel of Pope Francis’ Vatican residence, the Casa Santa Marta, in which special prayers are said for the pope and his body is dressed in vestments and placed in a coffin.

The College of Cardinals will begin meetings, called general congregations, on April 22 to plan the papal funeral and to make decisions related to the governance of the Church and the running of the Vatican during the sede vacante, or period without a pope.

Mourners gather in St. Peter's Square after the death of Pope Francis on Monday, April 21, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 21, 2025 / 14:22 pm (CNA).

World leaders from around the globe released statements of mourning and remembrance on Monday in response to the death of Pope Francis, who passed away Monday morning at age 88. 

Ukrainian president grieves Pope Francis, source of ‘spiritual support’

“Millions of people around the world are mourning the tragic news of Pope Francis’ passing,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X on Monday morning.

“[Francis] knew how to give hope, ease suffering through prayer, and foster unity,” Zelenksyy reflected. “He prayed for peace in Ukraine and for Ukrainians. We grieve together with Catholics and all Christians who looked to Pope Francis for spiritual support. Eternal memory!”

President of Ireland: ‘There was a warmth to Pope Francis’

Irish President Michael Higgins on Monday said he “join[ed] with all those across the world, from their different stations in life, who have expressed such profound sadness on learning of the death of Pope Francis."

Higgins, who had met with Francis on five occasions throughout his pontificate, praised the late pope for his “unique humility,” which he said “sought to show in the most striking and moving of ways the extraordinary importance of the spiritual as a powerful source of global ethics in the challenges of contemporary life.” 

He further lauded Francis’ commitment to “the vital issues of our time,” including global hunger and poverty, the plight of migrants, and global peace. 

“In paying tribute to Pope Francis’ legacy, may we all reflect on the ethical approach that is necessary to tackle the many vital issues, including the serious danger of what he termed ‘the globalization of indifference,’ to which he drew the attention of officeholders and their publics,” the Irish president said.

UK prime minister: Francis ‘a pope for the poor, the downtrodden, and the forgotten’ 

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote on Monday that he was “deeply saddened” to hear of the pope’s death.

“Pope Francis was a pope for the poor, the downtrodden, and the forgotten,” Starmer wrote. “He was close to the realities of human fragility, meeting Christians around the world facing war, famine, persecution and poverty. Yet he never lost the faith-fueled hope of a better world.”  

“That hope was the heart of his papacy,” he said.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan: Pope’s dedication to peace ‘cannot be forgotten’

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he was “deeply saddened with the passing of Pope Francis.” The leader said he extended his condolences to all believers “for this great loss.”

“His Holiness’ outstanding leadership to have [a] peaceful and just world cannot be forgotten,” he stated.

Canadian prime minister recalls pope’s teachings on economics and human values 

“Through his teachings and actions, Pope Francis redefined the moral responsibilities of leadership in the 21st century,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney wrote in a statement on Monday. 

“His vision of fairness between the generations was rooted in concrete calls for action, policy, and personal responsibility.”

Carney reflected in particular on an address Pope Francis gave during a Vatican meeting in 2014 on the common good within the global market.

“Pope Francis issued a challenge that has guided me ever since,” Carney wrote: “He likened humanity to wine — rich, diverse, full of spirit — and the market to grappa — distilled, intense, and at times disconnected.” 

“He called on us to ‘turn grappa back into wine,’ to reintegrate human values into our economic lives.” 

António Guterres: Pope Francis ‘a messenger of hope, humility, and humanity’ 

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday wrote that he “joine[d] the world in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, a messenger of hope, humility, and humanity.”

“Pope Francis was a transcendent voice for peace, human dignity, and social justice,” he continued. “My deepest condolences to Catholics and all those around the world inspired by his extraordinary life and example.”

Jordanian royal family: ‘Humanity has lost an invaluable champion for peace and compassion today’

Jordanian King Abdullah bin Al Hussein and Queen Rania Al Abdullah joined heads of state around the world in reacting to Pope Francis’ passing on Monday morning.

In a social media post on Monday morning, Al Hussein extended his “deepest condolences to our Christian brothers and sisters around the world.”

“Pope Francis was admired by all as the pope of the people. He brought people together, leading with kindness, humility, and compassion. His legacy will live on in his good deeds and teachings,” he added.

“In a world that can often feel heartless,” Queen Rania wrote, “Pope Francis always had love to spare — for the less fortunate, refugee families, and children in war zones, in Gaza and around the world. Humanity has lost an invaluable champion for peace and compassion today. May he rest in peace.”

Former president of Iraq mourns pope’s passing, remembers historic visit

Iraqi-Kurdish politician Barham Salih, who served as president of Iraq from 2018 to 2022, mourned Pope Francis’ death in a post on social media Monday morning.

“Deeply saddened by the passing of Pope Francis — a beacon of compassion and moral courage,” he wrote in the post, which contained several pictures from the Holy Father’s unprecedented visit to Iraq in 2021.

“I had the honor of meeting His Holiness on several occasions, including inviting him for the historic visit to Iraq. May his relentless pursuit of peace, justice, and our common humanity endure.”

Salih said Francis’ visit had “ignited Iraq’s soul.”

Flowers are laid in memory of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Monday, April 21, 2025. / Credit: Kristina Millare/CNA

Vatican City, Apr 21, 2025 / 13:48 pm (CNA).

The Catholic Church has many historical customs and traditions related to the handling of a pope’s mortal remains between the time of his death and his burial. 

Some of these customs have fallen out of use — such as hitting the pope three times with a hammer to confirm his death — or been removed over time through various papal reforms. 

Most recently, Pope Francis made several changes to the funeral process in a second edition of the 1998 Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, the Church’s liturgical book for the funeral rites of popes. 

According to the master of papal ceremonies, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the new edition of the liturgical book, issued in 2024, was requested by Pope Francis from a desire “to simplify and adapt some rites so that the celebration of the funeral of the bishop of Rome better expresses the Church’s faith in the risen Christ, eternal Shepherd.”

In the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, the process is divided into three steps, called “stations.”

Here is what has happened and will happen to Pope Francis’ mortal remains prior to his burial.

First station 

After the death of the pope, the director of the Vatican’s health services — currently Dr. Andrea Arcangeli — examines the body and prepares the certificate of death. He also arranges for the proper preservation of the corpse so that its public exposition can be carried out “with the greatest decorum and respect.”

The remains of the deceased pope are then dressed in the white cassock and moved to the private papal chapel for the “rite of the ascertainment of death and deposition in the coffin,” presided over by the camerlengo, currently Cardinal Kevin Farrell.

Following the prayers, the pope’s body — dressed in red liturgical vestments with the miter and pallium — are placed in a simple wooden coffin with a zinc lining, rather than an elevated bier, the so called cataletto (death bed), as was used for Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.  

The paschal, or Easter, candle is placed nearby and lit for the next part of the rite, which includes sprinkling holy water on the body. The casket with the pope’s remains is placed in a suitable place within the Vatican for visitation and prayer until it is moved for public viewing. 

Second station

The second step is the translation or transporting of the coffin in solemn procession to St. Peter’s Basilica, where it is placed close to the basilica’s main altar, the Altar of the Confession, with the paschal candle nearby, in order that the public may view the body, pray, and say goodbye. 

The evening or another time before the funeral, the coffin is closed in a special rite. Prior to closing the casket, a white silk veil is placed over the deceased pope’s face. A bag of the coins minted during his pontificate and one of two copies of a “rogito,” a document summarizing the life and works of the pope, are also placed in the coffin. 

The interior coffin of zinc is closed and sealed first and then the outer wooden coffin is also closed and sealed. 

The funeral, called the “Missa poenitentialis,” is celebrated in St. Peter’s Square and marks the first of the “novendiales,” nine consecutive days of mourning for the pope.

Third station

The casket with funeral pall is next brought to the place of burial, most commonly the crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica, where it has been the custom for popes to be buried for over a century. 

Pope Francis, however, will be interred in the Basilica of St. Mary Major at his request, because of his strong devotion to Mary.  

The last pope to be buried outside of the Vatican was Pope Leo XIII, who was buried in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran in 1903.  

Seven popes in history have been buried in the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the last in 1669, Pope Clement IX.

Pope Francis’ shadow is seen at his general audience at the Vatican, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Vatican City, Apr 21, 2025 / 13:32 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis passed away at 7:35 a.m. local time on Easter Monday, April 21, at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta, as confirmed by the Holy See Press Office. The 88-year-old pontiff led the Catholic Church for a little more than 12 years. 

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, officially announced the pope’s death in a video message. “At 7:35 this morning, the bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father,” Farrell stated.

Follow here for live updates of the latest news and information on the papal transition:

Father Pablo Gefaell is seen in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Monday, April 21, 2025. / Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA

Vatican City, Apr 21, 2025 / 12:07 pm (CNA).

Priests from around the world mourned the passing of Pope Francis at the Vatican on Monday while reflecting on the late pontiff’s life and historic papacy.

The pope passed away at 7:35 a.m. local time on Easter Monday, April 21, at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. The 88-year-old pontiff led the Catholic Church for a little more than 12 years.

News of the pontiff’s death brought a worldwide response of mourning and remembrance of Francis, who had suffered a double bout of pneumonia and a lengthy hospital stay prior to his death.

‘His name is Francis’

Following the pope’s passing, countless Catholics in Rome on Monday made their way to the Vatican to pray and share memories and reflections of the pontiff.

Father Hans Kreuwels, a priest from the Netherlands visiting Rome with his brother, told CNA at St. Peter’s Square that the late pope’s papal name of Francis “[reminded] us of Francis of Assisi and what he did — he was looking to help the poor.”

“We are sad on one side because this very important pope died,” Kreuwels. “He passed away, but it’s on the day of Easter Monday. It’s the day of the Resurrection. And as we remember this pope, he’s a pope of mercy.”

The priest pointed to the “Angels Unaware” statue in St. Peter’s Square. Crafted by Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz, it depicts 140 migrants of different ethnicities and nationalities standing on a boat. Kreuwels noted that Pope Francis’ first papal visit was to the island of Lampedusa, ”where many, many refugees from north of Africa tried to go over the sea, and many thousands of them died.”

The refugee statue “[reminds] us of this visit of the pope and also calling us up to open our hearts for those who are suffering, the refugees, [and] poor people.”

“This jubilee is the year of hope,” the priest observed. “It’s the hope of eternal life. And we greatly believe that on this day of Easter, [Francis] went back to his father, and we hope that he will be happy forever and we see him in heaven again.”

Also in St. Peter’s Square on Monday, two sisters from the Missionaries of Charity order silently offered a rosary in memory of the Holy Father. Pope Francis had in the past praised the order’s “beautiful” ministry at the Vatican.

‘He died with his boots on’

Father Pablo Gefaell, a priest from Spain who teaches canon law at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, came to the square to pray in silence with a rosary in his hands in front of St. Peter’s Basilica.

The Spanish priest reflected on how Pope Francis had been in St. Peter’s Square just one day before.

“He wanted to be near the people till the last day of his life. In my country we would say, ‘He died with his boots on.’ We are thankful to him for that.”

“I want to pray for his soul. I have no doubt that he’s already in heaven,” the priest said. “But we need a new pope and we are praying for the new pope and for the Holy Spirit to illuminate the cardinals.”

Gefaell had the chance to meet the pope a few times while living in Rome. He said he remembers in particular his sense of humor.

‘What do you do now?’

A priest from the Diocese of Cleveland was in St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday morning when he learned that Pope Francis had died just a few hours before at the age of 88. 

Father Eric Garris was praying at the tomb of St. John Paul II — a personal hero of his — when he got the notification on his phone that the Holy Father had died.

“So, I just stood up and looked around, and I’m like, ‘Does anyone know this? What do you do now?’” Garris told CNA. “I wanted to pray for the repose of his soul. … I ran down to the tombs of the popes [underground St. Peter’s Basilica] and I knelt at the tomb of Peter, and I prayed for the repose of the soul of the successor of Peter.”

The 34-year-old Garris, who has been vocations director for the Diocese of Cleveland for three years, was visiting Rome to celebrate the Triduum, Easter octave, and the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis, originally planned for April 27 and now postponed due to the pope’s death.

After praying in the grottoes of the Vatican basilica, Garris was joined in St. Peter’s Square by three other American priests staying in Rome. The four of them prayed the Office of the Dead and chanted the “In Paradisum” (traditional prayers for the dead) for Pope Francis’ eternal repose. 

The Cleveland priest said it was and is still shocking to lose the man who had been pope throughout his own eight years of priesthood — especially after just seeing him alive, up close, on Easter Sunday. 

Garris was one of hundreds of priests to concelebrate the Vatican’s Easter Sunday Mass on April 20, where he was three rows away from the altar in St. Peter’s Square. Afterward, he received Pope Francis’ blessing with the rest of the world, when the pontiff appeared on the central balcony of the basilica to wish everyone a happy Easter during the traditional “urbi et orbi” blessing.

Not long after, the priest was in the large thoroughfare leading to the basilica, Via della Conciliazione, when the still frail and ailing pope greeted the crowds gathered at the Vatican from his popemobile — for the first and only time since his 38-day hospitalization for double pneumonia less than one month ago.

“I think if Francis was one thing, he was a pastor, and he wanted to be with his people yesterday,” Garris reflected. “His pastor’s heart and pastoral theology that he not only wrote about but lived was an inspiration for me.”

A tall man, Garris was able to catch a good glimpse — and photo — of Francis despite the flock of cheering people. The priest thought the pope did not look well, but it also never crossed his mind that less than 24 hours later, he would be learning Francis had passed away.

“When Francis was elected, I was in seminary,” he said, “and I was actually in Church history class [at that moment], and I made our professor end class early because I said, ‘We’re living Church history!’” 

“I’ve been a priest for eight years. It’s been all under Francis’ papacy. And there’s something comforting knowing that there’s continuity in a father,” he reflected. “What happens now? It’s not in any way that there’s any sense of fear — I completely have trust in the Holy Spirit — but I just got so used to him being here.” 

“I look at Francis and I’m like, what a joyful disciple and shepherd,” the priest added. “I think at the end of the day, I prayed for him not out of obligation but because [of what the Gospel says]: ‘Lord, this is your servant, who faithfully served you. Well done, good and faithful servant. Come share in your master’s glory.’ And I pray that, and I hope that for him.” 

Courtney Mares, Hannah Brockhaus, and Kristina Millare contributed to this report.

Pope Francis hears confessions of teenagers in St. Peter's Square. / L'Osservatore Romano.

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 21, 2025 / 11:41 am (CNA).

The Vatican has announced that despite the death of Pope Francis, the Jubilee of Teenagers is still scheduled to take place in Rome beginning this Friday, April 25, through Sunday, April 27.

According to a statement from the Dicastery for Evangelization, the event is expected to draw upwards of 80,000 teenagers from all over the world to the Vatican.

Several adjustments are being made to the program due to the death of the Holy Father.

Among the changes: The previously scheduled April 27 canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis has been postponed. Due to the time of mourning, the musical celebration at Circus Maximus scheduled for April 26 at 5 p.m. has also been canceled.

Jubilee of Teenagers programming still scheduled to take place includes the April 25 “Via Lucis” prayer time, the “Dialogues with the City” squares on Saturday, April 26, the pilgrimages to the Holy Door and the holy Mass, without the canonization of Acutis, in St. Peter’s Square on April 27.

The first-ever Jubilee of Teenagers figures as one of the most anticipated events of the holy year and is especially dedicated to young people, who will have a unique experience of “faith, spiritual growth, and intercultural exchange.”

The vast majority of those registered come from Italy, although numerous groups are also expected to arrive from the United States, Brazil, India, Spain, Portugal, France, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Germany, Chile, Venezuela, Mexico, Australia, Argentina, Nigeria, and many other countries.

The delegations will come from dioceses, youth ministries, associations, and movements such as the Association of Italian Catholic Guides and Scouts, Italian Catholic Action, and the Salesian Youth Movement, among others.

The official program includes several highlights, beginning with the Via Lucis (Way of Light), an act of piety in which the apparitions of the risen Christ are meditated upon, which will take place on April 25 in the EUR neighborhood, just outside Rome.

On Saturday, April 26, there will be a day of thematic events throughout Rome, called “Dialogues with the City.”

One of the culminating moments will be on Sunday, April 27, with Mass in St. Peter’s Square, though without the canonization of Acutis.

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