-ROME, ITALY - APR. 22, 2025: According to his will, Pope Francis will be laid to rest at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, Italy. Pope Francis' funeral will take place on Saturday, April 26, the Vatican confirmed on Tuesday. The Vatican said the pope's funeral will be held at 10 a.m. local time (0800GMT). The decision comes at cardinals meeting early Tuesday, while the conclave to elect a new pope will begin from May 5. The leader of the Catholic Church was born in Buenos Aires on Dec. 17, 1936, to Italian immigrant parents. He studied in Argentina and later in Germany before being ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1969. Over a decade into his papacy, Pope Francis remained a figure of admiration and controversy. He sought to reform the Vatican’s bureaucracy, tackle corruption, and address some of the church’s most pressing challenges. While he was hailed for his humility and commitment to social justice, his leadership also drew sharp resistance from conservatives within the church and beyond. The pope was admitted to a hospital in Rome in February with bronchitis, which developed into bilateral pneumonia. He was discharged after 38 days to continue his recovery in his Vatican residence. Pope Francis died Monday at the age of 88.