Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 22, 2025, ending a papacy defined by humility, reform, and compassion for the marginalized. His death set in motion the traditional rituals that mark the end of a pope’s reign, including the symbolic destruction of the Fisherman’s Ring, which represents papal authority. The ring, historically used to seal documents, was defaced—rather than destroyed—by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, honoring both tradition and the simplicity Pope Francis embodied. This act signaled the end of his papacy and the beginning of the interregnum.

Francis’ funeral reflected his lifelong commitment to modesty. He lay in state at St. Peter’s Basilica in a plain oak coffin, dressed in the traditional white cassock and red vestments. On April 26, global leaders and ordinary mourners gathered in St. Peter’s Square to honor a pope who had always chosen humility over grandeur.