Vatican Reveals First Images of Pope Francis in Open Coffin as Mourning Begins
Pope Francis’s Death: A Global Moment of Grief
The Vatican rarely opens its doors to the world in such a personal way, but on April 22, 2025, it shared intimate images of Pope Francis resting in his open coffin inside Casa Santa Marta. The pontiff, whose unmistakable warmth reshaped the image of the papacy, passed away at 88, drawing together a world still adjusting to the news. Less than a day after his death, the Vatican published the photographs—Francis in vivid red vestments, head crowned with a bishop’s mitre, rosary beads carefully nestled between his folded hands. Even in death, the humility that defined his papacy is hard to miss.
What sets these images apart is their profound simplicity. Casa Santa Marta—Francis’s chosen home over the grand papal apartments—forms the quiet backdrop. Just hours after his passing at 7:35 a.m. on April 21, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Camerlengo, led time-honored church rituals to confirm the death. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, stood by as medical staff documented the final moments, using electrocardiographic thanatography, a method more clinical than the world expects but necessary in papal tradition.
Procession to St. Peter’s and a World Unites in Farewell
The Pope Francis the world knew—compassionate, outspoken, sometimes controversial—also lived through hardship. The official report cited a cerebral stroke and subsequent heart failure. The Vatican’s medical team pointed to chronic battles with Type II diabetes, hypertension, and recurring respiratory illness as contributing factors. Just weeks before his death, the pope had recovered enough from a long hospital stay for pneumonia to greet crowds once more, hoping his presence might ease fears about his health. But the return to public life was brief.
As news of his passing circulated, preparations moved fast. The Vatican announced that Francis’s body would be moved from Casa Santa Marta to St. Peter’s Basilica starting April 23. There, he will lie in state, allowing thousands—perhaps millions—to pay their respects. The basilica, often a place of awe for tourists, will transform into a solemn hall for mourners from every corner of the globe.
The funeral, set for April 26 at 10 a.m., promises to be one of the century’s defining moments for the Catholic Church. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside over the Mass, with clergy from every continent standing together in St. Peter’s Square. The ceremony’s centerpiece: the Novemdiales, a nine-day span of mourning that drapes the Vatican in centuries-old tradition, complete with prayers, chanting, and the tolling of great bells. From Rome’s streets to remote villages, the world will pause to remember a pope whose leadership was anything but ordinary.
For now, the striking Vatican images circulate worldwide. They offer comfort to some and spark reflection in others, serving as a reminder of Pope Francis’s impact—not only on the Church, but on anyone searching for a message of inclusion, humility, and hope amid loss.