The Vatican announced Tuesday that Pope Francis’ funeral will take place on Saturday, with world leaders, including US President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, confirming their attendance to honor the beloved Catholic leader. The Argentine pontiff, aged 88, passed away on Monday due to a stroke, just weeks after a five-week hospital stay for double pneumonia.

The funeral, expected to draw massive crowds, is set for 10:00 AM (0800 GMT) in St. Peter’s Square, outside St. Peter’s Basilica. Following the service, Francis’ coffin—crafted from wood and zinc as per his wishes—will be moved inside the basilica and later to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome for burial, marking the first papal burial outside the Vatican in over a century.

The date was finalized during Tuesday’s initial “general congregation” of cardinals, launching the traditional process leading to the election of a new pope within three weeks. Only cardinals under 80 can vote in the conclave, which must begin between 15 and 20 days after the pope’s death.

On Wednesday, Francis’ body will be transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica at 9:00 AM (0700 GMT) to lie in state. The Vatican released images of the pontiff in his open coffin, dressed in red papal vestments with a mitre and a rosary, taken during a private service Monday evening at the Casa Santa Marta chapel, his residence during his 12-year papacy.

Tributes have flooded in for Francis, a reformist who succeeded Benedict XVI in 2013. Argentina declared a week of national mourning, while India, in a rare gesture, began three days of state mourning. Leaders like France’s Emmanuel Macron and royalty are also expected to attend the funeral.

Francis’ simple tomb, inscribed only with “Franciscus” in Latin, reflects his humility. His death certificate cited a stroke causing a coma and irreversible heart failure. Despite his March 23 hospital discharge and orders to rest, Francis, who never took vacations, continued public appearances, including a tiring Easter Sunday greeting crowds from his popemobile.

Lionel Messi, the Argentine football icon, praised Francis for “making the world a better place.” Thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square Monday evening, lighting candles and praying. “He showed it doesn’t matter your orientation or race in God’s eyes,” said Mateo Rey, a 22-year-old Mexican student, reflecting on Francis’ inclusive legacy.

Born Jorge Bergoglio, Francis was the first Jesuit pope and the first from the Americas. A dynamic reformer, he championed migrants, the environment, and social justice while upholding Church stances on abortion and priestly celibacy. He pushed for Vatican financial transparency, expanded roles for women and laity, and tackled clergy abuse by lifting secrecy and mandating case reporting, though some victims’ groups felt his actions fell short.

His outspoken nature and reforms sparked both admiration and resistance within the Church, cementing his legacy as a transformative yet polarizing figure.

Pope Francis, the beloved head of the Catholic Church, has passed away at the age of 88. According to a statement released by the Vatican, the pontiff died at 7:35 a.m. on Monday, just one day after making a hopeful and uplifting appearance at Saint Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday.

“Dearest brothers and sisters, it is with deep sorrow that I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell shared in the official statement, published on the Vatican’s Telegram channel. “This morning at 7:35 a.m. (0535 GMT), the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church.”

Pope Francis’s final public appearance came as a surprise and a joy to thousands gathered in Vatican City. Despite ongoing health struggles and a recent serious illness, he greeted the faithful with a warm wave from the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica and delivered his traditional “Urbi et Orbi” Easter blessing, calling for freedom of thought and greater tolerance across the world.

The pontiff had narrowly survived two near-fatal battles with pneumonia earlier this year. After spending 38 days hospitalized, he was discharged on March 23, and his Easter Sunday appearance was seen as a sign of hope and resilience.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, he was elected Pope in 2013 at age 76. His papacy marked several historic milestones: he was the first Jesuit Pope, the first Pope from the Americas, and the first non-European Pope in over 1,200 years — the last being Gregory III, who died in 741.

Throughout his tenure, Pope Francis was known for his commitment to reform, his compassion for the marginalized, and his deep humility. He maintained a wide appeal that bridged both progressive and traditional corners of the Catholic faith.

Francis succeeded Pope Benedict XVI, who made history himself by becoming the first Pope to voluntarily resign in nearly six centuries. For almost a decade, two Popes resided within the Vatican Gardens — a symbol of transition and continuity within the Church.

Pope Francis leaves behind a legacy of courage, compassion, and conviction — a shepherd who remained faithful to his mission until the end.