Saint Peter’s Square Filled with Crowds Waiting to Honor Pope Francis Lying in State
(VATICAN MEDIA Divisione Foto).
Vatican Radio - Vatican News will broadcast live the funeral of Pope Francis from St. Peter’s Square, followed by the procession through Rome to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, with coverage available in 15 languages, including four sign languages.
By Vatican News
The Solemn Requiem Mass for Pope Francis is expected to capture global attention, evoking memories of a similar historic moment—the funeral of Pope John Paul II on April 8, 2005.
This funeral will also be historic for the media, marking the first time that the transfer of a Pope’s remains from the Vatican to another burial site will be broadcast live worldwide.
The ceremonies are scheduled for Saturday, April 26, beginning at 10:00 AM Rome time. Vatican Radio - Vatican News will provide live coverage of the entire Requiem Mass, followed by the procession carrying Pope Francis' coffin from St. Peter’s Square to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, where he will be interred according to his wishes.
Live Broadcast in 15 Languages
To reach as wide an audience as possible, the Dicastery for Communication (the parent organization of Vatican News) will offer live radio and television commentary in 15 languages: English, Italian, Spanish, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Portuguese, German, Polish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Arabic, along with coverage in four sign languages—American, Italian, Spanish, and French.
Vatican Television Center – Vatican Media will provide extensive television coverage, featuring both aerial and ground shots of St. Peter’s Square and the full procession route to the Basilica of St. Mary Major.
Additionally, multimedia reporting—including print, radio, TV, and social media with commentary and detailed analysis—will be available in 56 languages, as distributed across Vatican News, Vatican Radio, and L’Osservatore Romano platforms.
How to Access the Broadcast
Coverage of the April 26 events can be followed through several platforms:
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Vatican News website: www.vaticannews.va (Video available via the Vatican Media Live-YouTube tile; audio streaming through the web radio speaker icon under the top menu).
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Vatican News YouTube channels (English channel and Original Sound channel).
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Vatican Radio web radio in 11 languages (available via the Radio Vatican App on Google Play and iTunes).
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Shortwave radio broadcasts in English, French, and Portuguese targeting African audiences.
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Live streams on Facebook in Italian, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German.
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Instagram live streams in Italian, Portuguese, and German.
Italian-Language Coverage
Three Italian commentary stations will be active: two at St. Peter’s Square and one at the Basilica of St. Mary Major. Live Italian coverage will start around 8:10 AM from the Charlemagne Wing.
At approximately 9:30 AM, coverage will transition to the main studio for the start of the Requiem Mass at 10:00 AM. Simultaneously, the broadcasting station at St. Mary Major will provide live updates from the prayers and gathering of the faithful.
Italian-language broadcast frequencies:
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103.8 FM in Rome
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105 FM in Rome and surrounding areas
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DAB+ digital radio (more info at www.digitalradio.it)
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TV channel 733 in the Rome region
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Eutelsat satellite
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