Vatican News will broadcast a live rosary and mass on Tuesday and release a documentary marking the first anniversary of the death of Pope Francis, the Argentine pontiff who led the Catholic Church for 12 years.
Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, died on April 21, 2025, at age 88 at Casa Santa Marta in Vatican City. His death marked the end of a papacy defined by simplicity, global outreach and advocacy for marginalized communities.
Commemorations will take place at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, where his remains were laid to rest in accordance with his wishes following his funeral five days after his death.
According to the basilica, the tribute will begin with a recitation of the Rosary at 5 p.m. in the Pauline Chapel, a site Francis frequently visited for prayer.
A commemorative bronze plaque honoring his devotion to the Marian icon Salus Populi Romani will then be unveiled. The inscription notes that Francis prayed before the icon 126 times and now rests in the basilica.
At 6 p.m., a Mass will be celebrated, during which a message from Pope Leo XIV — currently on an apostolic journey in Africa — will be read. The liturgy will be shown on large screens outside the basilica and streamed live through Vatican News platforms.
In conjunction with the anniversary, Vatican News will also release a 26-minute documentary recounting Francis’ pontificate. The short film, will be available with subtitles in Italian, English and Spanish, uses archival footage and symbolic imagery to highlight key moments and themes from his leadership, often described as focused on mercy and outreach to the peripheries.
Francis was the first pope from Latin America, the first Jesuit to lead the Catholic Church and the first non-European pontiff in more than a millennium.
During his tenure, he traveled widely, promoted dialogue on social and pastoral issues, and emphasized a vision of a Church “poor and for the poor,” earning both praise and criticism across the global Catholic community.
His final public appearance came on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, when he greeted tens of thousands in St. Peter’s Square — a moment widely seen as emblematic of a papacy centered on closeness to the faithful.
