World Mourns as Pope Francis’ Coffin Arrives at Rome Basilica for Final Burial  

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria 

In an emotional farewell to a historic papacy, the coffin of Pope Francis arrived Saturday, at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

This marks the final journey of a leader who reshaped the modern Catholic Church.

After a solemn funeral ceremony attended by tens of thousands at St. Peter’s Square, the late pontiff’s coffin was transported through the streets of Rome on a white popemobile.

The crowd, made up of mourners from across the globe, lined the route in a powerful show of devotion and gratitude, many weeping openly as they watched the slow procession.

Pope Francis, the Church’s first Latin American pope and a tireless advocate for the poor and marginalized, died on Monday at the age of 88, ending a 12-year papacy that left an indelible mark on the centuries-old institution.

Global leaders, including US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, were present at the Vatican to pay their final respects.

The two leaders even met briefly inside St. Peter’s Basilica, underscoring the unique global influence Francis wielded far beyond the Church’s traditional boundaries.

Many of the faithful had camped overnight outside St. Peter’s Square to secure a place at the funeral, a testament to the deep affection Pope Francis inspired during his time as spiritual leader to over a billion Catholics worldwide.

Throughout his papacy, Francis sought to steer the Church towards greater inclusivity, focusing on social justice, climate change, and interfaith dialogue.

His death leaves a profound void, not only within the Church but also in global conversations around human dignity and compassion.

Saturday’s final burial at Santa Maria Maggiore, a basilica he often visited in private moments of prayer, fulfills Francis’ long-expressed wish to rest among the ordinary faithful, far from the grandiose tombs of some of his predecessors.