How to Watch & Stream Pope Francis' Funeral This Morning on NBC: Time and Details
The Pope will be laid to rest after his funeral service on Saturday, April 26.
Nearly a week after the death of Pope Francis at the age of 88, worshippers will gather in the Vatican to honor the life and legacy of the beloved head of the Catholic Church. The pope’s funeral will take place after three days of public mourning and will include many traditional elements.
Ahead of his death on April 21, 2025, however, Pope Francis had shared his wishes for his funeral in his memoir Hope: The Autobiography, specifically that he’d arranged for a less “excessive” service.
“I have arranged with the master of ceremonies to lighten it: no catafalque, no ceremony for the closure of the casket, nor the deposition of the cypress casket into a second of lead and a third of oak,” he wrote in his 2025 book, per NPR. “With dignity, but like any Christian, because the bishop of Rome is a pastor and a disciple, not a powerful man of this world.”
As scores of people traveled to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican to pay their respects as the pope’s body lay in state for multiple days before his funeral, his coffin’s place reflected his wishes for a more simplified service. Instead of being placed on an elevated platform, NBC News reports that his coffin faced the historic church’s pews.
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Read on for all the details you need to know about Pope Francis’ funeral, including the time, date, location, and more.
How to watch Pope Francis’ funeral on NBC
TODAY's Craig Melvin will anchor NBC's coverage of the pope's funeral as it takes place on Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m. local time. In the United States, you’ll want to tune in to your local NBC channel 4 a.m. ET to watch the coverage live.
NBC News coverage is also always available to stream via NBC News NOW. You can find NBC’s 24/7 live news stream on YouTube, the NBC app, and Peacock.
What time is Pope Francis’ funeral?
The pope's funeral is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET), the Vatican confirmed.
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Where will Pope Francis’ funeral be held?
Pope Francis’ funeral will be held at St. Peter’s Square, a plaza located just in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.
TODAY reports that the funeral service will be several hours long and will include “full papal honors.” Additionally, NBC News notes that thousands of people are expected to gather inside Vatican City to watch the “carefully choreographed and extremely public ceremony.”
Following the funeral, the Vatican confirmed that the pope will be entombed at the Basilica of St. Mary Major.
