Pope Francis’ funeral will be held on Saturday, April 26, at 10:00 am local time (1:30 pm IST) in St. Peter’s Square, in front of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. The event will draw thousands of mourners from across the world.

The Argentine pontiff, aged 88, passed away from a stroke on Monday, April 21, less than a month after returning home from a five-week hospitalisation due to double pneumonia. His body was first displayed at Casa Santa Marta, then moved to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday, where it will remain until the day of the funeral.

Who will lead the ceremony?
The funeral Mass will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean of the College of Cardinals. After the ceremony, a nine-day mourning period will follow. Pope Francis will be entombed at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, instead of the usual burial site in the crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica where many former popes are interred.

How can you watch the funeral in India?
The funeral will be broadcast live by major global and Indian news networks. 

Several streaming platforms such as DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and Fubo—are offering live stream. The funeral will also stream live on Disney+, Hulu, Peacock, and The New York Times.

Additionally, Vatican Media will provide a live stream on its YouTube channel and official websites. Indian Catholic news outlets are also expected to carry live coverage.