The morning of April 26, 2025, will be etched in the memory of the Church as a day of profound recollection and prayer. Thousands of faithful from all over the world gathered in St. Peter’s Square to participate in the funeral Mass for Pope Francis, a pastor who, for more than a decade, marked the direction of the Catholic Church with his humility, closeness, and courage.

The celebration was presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, who in his homily painted a portrait full of gratitude and tenderness for the Argentine pontiff. He remembered Francis as “a man of solid faith, luminous hope, and ardent love,” a pastor who lived his ministry with profound trust in God and a constant dedication to the most vulnerable and forgotten in society. He emphasized how the Pope not only preached mercy, but also embodied it in his daily actions, in his gaze toward the poor, migrants, the sick, and all those who feel discarded.

The funeral followed Francis’s explicit wish for it to be simple, sober, and deeply spiritual. The coffin, made of plain wood, was placed before the altar, surrounded by an atmosphere of intense prayer. The readings and prayers were proclaimed in different languages, reflecting the universality of the Church and the open and dialogic nature that Francis promoted throughout his pontificate.

Among those present were numerous cardinals, bishops, priests, religious men, women, and lay people, as well as leaders of other Christian denominations and representatives of different religions. Heads of state and government also attended, as a sign of global recognition of the figure of Francis, a bridge-builder between peoples and a tireless builder of dialogue and peace.

Many of those present could not hide their emotion. Tears mingled with hope, for those who knew the Pope’s heart knew that his life had been a generous dedication to the very end. Many recalled his words spoken during the most difficult moments of his pontificate, especially during the pandemic, when he invited the entire world to “row together” to overcome life’s storms.

The Mass concluded with a moment of solemn silence, in which the square, usually filled with voices and songs, was plunged into a profound calm, as if seeking to embrace in its silence the figure of the Pope who so often encouraged us not to be afraid and to open our doors to Christ. Afterwards, following the established rite, the coffin was transferred for burial in the Vatican Grottoes, in a gesture of continuity with the Church’s tradition.

Francis, the Pope who came “from the end of the world,” leaves behind an immense legacy: the testimony of a life lived in a spirit of service, a renewed drive toward a poor Church for the poor, and a constant invitation to the joy of the Gospel. His final lesson was none other than the one that marked his entire ministry: to trust fully in God’s mercy and always walk with hope.