It’s going to be extra crowded in Rome.
On Easter Monday, Pope Francis, the first pontiff from Latin America, died due to a stroke and irreversible heart failure in Vatican City. Italy has declared five days of mourning that will last until the funeral on Saturday, and travelers to Rome should expect crowds and some disruptions as the country mourns the so-called “people’s Pope” and eventually chooses a new pontiff. Italy is celebrating its Jubilee year, so it is expected to be busier than ever.
Pope Francis died at the age of 88 at his home, Casa Santa Marta, in the Vatican. He was hospitalized for five weeks in February due to double pneumonia and was still recovering from the serious illness. However, after the Vatican’s Easter Mass on Sunday, he made an appearance, much to the delight of Catholics gathered at the Vatican, and waved at thousands from his all-electric popemobile.
Following his death, world leaders and devotees from around the world have expressed their condolences to remember a pope known for his simplicity and compassion. He reformed the Catholic Church when he ascended to the papacy in 2013, and tourists and Catholics have started gathering at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City to pay their tributes—some came to see him on Easter.
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The Funeral
The Vatican announced that the funeral of Pope Francis will take place on Saturday, April 26, outside in front of St. Peter’s Basilica. The Mass will be held at 10 a.m. The final resting place of the Pope will be the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, where seven other popes have been buried–but none since 1669. The Vatican has also released pictures of the open casket in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, where the pope rests in red robes.
The coffin will be taken to St. Peter’s Basilica at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 23. Before the body is moved, Cardinal Kevin Farrell will lead the prayers, and then a procession will be carried through the Piazza Santa Marta and Piazza dei Protomartiri Romani. The pope will lie in state at the basilica until the night before the funeral for people to pay their respects. Many attractions in Vatican City will have restricted access.
Crowds are already gathering at both St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Mary Major. Italy is preparing for a flood of tourists who will arrive on Saturday. The railways will increase long-distance services, and trains to and from the airport will also be more frequent. Heightened security measures are expected as world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, have confirmed their attendance for the funeral.
Italy has declared five days of mourning, so visitors should expect restrictions while in Rome and Vatican City. If you’re flying to Rome anytime soon, you’ll notice a lot more crowds than usual, also due to the Jubilee year. Some businesses may be closed during this time, and the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel, are temporarily closed on April 26. Papal basilicas may also be closed for special services.
This is a historic event, and it is expected to draw millions. In 2005, at Pope John Paul II’s funeral, 4 million people gathered; around 300,000 attended the funeral at St. Peter’s Square. Flight and hotel prices in Italy will soar, and you might have to queue for hours to pay your respects to the Pope.
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The Conclave
Around two to three weeks after the death of the Pope, a secret process to choose a new pope begins in the Vatican, called the Conclave. Within 20 days, roughly in early May, cardinals from around the world who are under 80 years of age will gather at the Sistine Chapel—135 are eligible to vote out of 252 in total—to vote twice a day on paper ballots, which are burned after counting. If the gathering reaches a consensus, the new pope is elected, and white smoke is released from the chimneys. If not, black smoke is released to inform the world, and voting continues.
The process can take days to achieve a two-thirds majority, and during this time, no contact is allowed with the outside world. No phones, no messages, no communication. The cardinals sleep in the humble Casa Santa Marta nearby (where Pope Francis lived), and walk to the Sistine Chapel each day to deliberate. The 2024 film Conclave depicts this in detail.
During this secretive ballot, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica are off-limits for visitors. Access may also be restricted before the Conclave to prepare for it. Guided tours of the Vatican Museums are likely to be modified. If you have a tour planned in the coming weeks, check to confirm if you’ll be able to attend.
You can, however, gather at St. Peter’s Square to see the smoke, but prepare to contend with crowds as all eyes in the world will be on the Sistine Chapel. When the new pope is elected, they will come to the balcony overlooking the square.
If you are in Italy around this time, remember that the country is mourning a beloved figure. Make sure to be respectful.
