Will the Pope's Funeral Be Televised on NBC? What to Know
Here's how to tune in to honor and remember Pope Francis.
Just days after Pope Francis gave his final Easter blessing, people worldwide have an opportunity to pay their respects during his funeral.
After recently recovering from double pneumonia and other respiratory issues, Pope Francis died suddenly of a stroke and heart failure in the early morning of April 21, 2025. He was 88 years old.
"On this day, I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas! For all of us are children of God!" Pope Francis declared during his final Easter service on April 20, just hours before his death.
Will the Pope's funeral be televised?
Yes, the funeral of Pope Francis will be televised worldwide — and will be broadcast live on NBC and Peacock as it happens.
Pope Francis' funeral will begin at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET) Saturday, April 26. Check your local listings and tune in to the local NBC affiliate to watch. With few exceptions, the same NBC station you tune in to watch regularly scheduled NBC programming will be the same channel airing the funeral of Pope Francis.
For people wishing to stream the funeral live as it occurs, it will also be simulcast live through NBC News on Peacock.
More than 170 heads of state or government will be in attendance to honor and remember the late Pope. Prince Williams and President Donald Trump are also expected to attend.
When is the Pope's funeral?
The Pope's funeral will take place on Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m. local time at St. Peter's Square, located in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, the Vatican announced on April 22. Worshippers can pay their respects during the traditional Catholic funeral.
On April 22, the body of Pope Francis was displayed in the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta Hotel in Vatican City. Francis was shown in an open wooden casket, dressed in red vestments and his bishop's miter.
Pope Francis' body will lie in state St. Peter's Basilica from Wednesday, April 23, until his funeral this weekend. Following the funeral, the Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis will be entombed at the Basilica of St. Mary Major.
