What to know about the funeral and burial of Pope Francis

NEW YORK (AP) — Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. His death set off mourning across the Catholic world and days of ritual at the Vatican. Here are the key things to know about the funeral of the first Latin American pontiff in the church's history:

His funeral was held Saturday morning in St. Peter’s Square. His coffin was then taken by motorcade across downtown Rome to the spot where he wished to be laid to rest in a simple underground tomb at St. Mary Major Basilica, according to his will. The church is home to his favorite icon of the Virgin Mary, to whom he was particularly devoted.

Before and after every foreign trip, Francis would go to the basilica to pray before the Byzantine-style painting, the Salus Populi Romani, or Salvation of the people of Rome.

Located in a side chapel, the icon features an image of Mary, draped in a blue robe, holding the infant Jesus, who in turn holds a jeweled golden book.

Heads of state, including U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, were among those attending the funeral. Others dignitaries included: Prince William, French President Emmanuel Macron, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and European Council President António Costa.

Pope Francis had a 12-year papacy during which he charmed the world with his humility and concern for the poor. But the Argentina-born pope also alienated conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change.

Many mourners had already planned to be in Rome this weekend for the Holy Year canonization of the first millennial saint, Carlo Acutis. The canonization was postponed after Francis' death, and no date has yet been set. The jubilee of teenagers had also been set for April 25 to 27.

Perhaps because so many young people were on hand, the somber ceremony still had a festive mood, with mourners taking selfies amid the hymns as Francis’ simple coffin was brought out of St. Peter’s Basilica at the start of the Mass.

The death of a pope starts a centuries-old ritual to elect a new one, involving sacred oaths by the cardinals, the piercing of ballots with a needle and thread after they’re counted, and then burning them to produce either the white or black smoke to signal if there’s a new leader for the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

With the burial, the Catholic Church begins nine days of official mourning, known as the “novemdiales”. The date of the conclave to elect a new pope has not yet been announced.

In the conclave, the cardinals will vote in secret sessions, and the ballots will be burned in a special stove after each session. Black smoke indicates no pope has been elected; white smoke says the cardinals have chosen the next head of the Catholic Church.

Any baptized Catholic male is eligible, though only cardinals have been selected since 1378. The winner must receive at least two-thirds of the vote from those cardinals under age 80 who are eligible to participate.

Francis appointed the vast majority of electors, often tapping men who share his pastoral priorities, which suggests continuity rather than rupture.

While it’s impossible to predict who the next pope will be, some cardinals are considered to have better chances than others.

Yes and no.

“Conclave” the 2024 film, introduced many laypeople to the ancient selection process with its arcane rules and grand ceremony, albeit with a silver screen twist packed full of palace intrigue and surprise.

Vatican experts say the movie excels at re-creating the look and feel of a conclave. But there are discrepancies, errors and some outlandish storylines in the Hollywood version. And while the voting process was depicted accurately, the ballots are burned not after each vote, but after each session.

Francis was known for his personal simplicity, from the choice of his name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, who renounced wealth to help the poor, to the outward symbols and priorities of his papacy.

He chose to live in the Vatican's Domus Santa Marta hotel instead of the Apostolic Palace and wore his old orthotic shoes and not the red loafers of the papacy.

In his teachings, he focused on concern for refugees and other marginalized people. His first trip outside Rome as pope in 2013 was to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa to meet with newly arrived migrants. His plea for welcome put him at odds with U.S. and European policies.

He also signaled a more welcoming stance toward LGBTQ+ people, while also making the fight against climate change a priority. Francis became the first pope to use scientific data in a major teaching document and made care for God’s creation a hallmark of his papacy.

He eschewed the grandiose even in his departure, lying in state in a simple coffin made of wood.

The night before the funeral, the camerlengo presided over the closing and sealing of the coffin, in the presence of other senior cardinals. A white cloth was placed over Francis’ face.

A bag containing coins minted during his papacy was placed in the coffin along with a one-page written account of his papacy — known in Italian as a “rogito,” a word indicating an official deed. It was read aloud by the master of liturgical ceremonies and then rolled up and slipped inside a cylindrical tube that was placed inside the coffin. Another copy is kept in the Vatican archives. The covers of both the zinc coffin and the wooden one bear a cross and Francis’ papal coat of arms.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

FILE - Cardinals walk in procession to the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, at the beginning of the conclave, April 18, 2005. (Osservatore Romano via AP, File)

Cardianal Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrel seals the zinc cover of the casket containing the body of late Pope Francis in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Friday, April 25, 2025. (Vatican Media via AP)

People queue trying to reach St. Peter's Square ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

The bell tower of St. Mary Major Basilica, where the burial ceremony of Pope Francis will take place, in Rome, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Cardinals take their seats for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

PARIS (AP) — Tennis players at the French Open say they haven’t experienced conditions this hot at Roland Garros since the Paris Olympics.

And the 2024 Olympics were held in July and August.

Temperatures for the opening two days of the clay-court Grand Slam have soared to 33 degrees C (91 F) — far beyond normal for late May in the French capital. And it’s forecast to stay that way for the entire first week.

Besides making it uncomfortable for fans and players alike, the sultry conditions have also created faster conditions on court — changing the pace of the game.

“It is much different. Maybe it was that hot in the Olympics but the balls were different, so I wouldn’t treat it as the same tournament,” four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek said after routing Emerson Jones 6-1, 6-2 in the first round on Monday.

Players have been putting bags of ice around their necks on changeovers to stay cool, while fans are refreshing themselves under sprinklers.

When workers water the clay courts between sets, they have taken to directing their hoses at spectators begging to be doused, too.

“I don’t remember the last time it was so hot at Roland Garros,” Russian-born Australian player Daria Kasatkina said after beating Zeynep Sonmez 6-4, 6-4. “Maybe one day. But we’re going to have it for the whole week.”

Kasatkina said the energy-sapping temperatures made for more up-and-down matches.

“You can suddenly just get out of the bench and feel that your focus dropped,” she said. “So this is a battle which you have to also win. … Whoever adapts better to today’s conditions gets it.”

Canadian player Gabriel Diallo said the heat was the main reason why he retired midway through his match against James Duckworth on Sunday.

Both Andrey Rublev and opponent Ignacio Buse called for the trainer on separate occasions during the second set of their match on Monday.

Buse took a medical timeout and had salts and minerals added to his water bottle as a stethoscope was placed on his chest. Rublev received treatment a few games later.

The French Open is usually cool compared to the heat at the Australian Open and U.S. Open.

But like in Australia and New York, the French Open has adopted an extreme weather policy.

If the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) — which takes into account temperature, humidity, sun, wind and other factors — reaches 30.1 degrees C (86 F) or higher, 10-minute cooling breaks can be installed between the second and third sets for women’s matches and between the third and fourth sets for men’s matches.

If the WBGT hits 32.2 C (90 F), play is suspended. It would require an air temperature of about 38 C (100 F) for play to be suspended.

Some players were embracing the hotter air.

“I’ve always preferred hot and lively conditions to chilly on a clay court, because I feel like I can bring a little bit more of my all-court tennis on this type of surface,” Australian player Alex de Minaur said after beating Toby Samuel 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.

“It’s easier to be a little bit more aggressive. The ball is jumping. I don’t necessarily have to use as much spin or heaviness, and I can let the conditions do the job for me. And it’s quite physical. I don’t mind the heat,” De Minaur added.

Same goes for American player Alex Michelsen, who eliminated Alexander Shevchenko in straight sets.

“It’s definitely good for us Americans,” Michelsen said. “Generally we’re big serve, big forehand, big ground game and like to play offense. When it’s super hot, the ball is moving through the air very fast. … I was so happy when I saw the forecast.”

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

A stadium worker sprays the court with water before the first round men's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Monday, May 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Visitors cool themselves with water from sprinklers during a hot day at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Monday, May 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

A woman cools herself with a portable fan during the first round men's singles tennis match between Alex De Minaur of Australia and Toby Samuel of Britain at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Monday, May 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Spectators cool themselves with hand fans during the first round women's singles tennis match between Elina Svitolina of Ukraine and Anna Bondar of Hungary at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Monday, May 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Poland's Iga Swiatek gestures for a ballboy as he shields her from the sun during a break at the first round women's singles tennis match against Emerson Jones of Australia at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Monday, May 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Visitors cool themselves with water from sprinklers during a hot day at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Monday, May 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Alex De Minaur of Australia attends a break during the first round men's singles tennis match against Toby Samuel of Britain at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Monday, May 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)