All federal and state flags will be displayed at half-staff this week in a show of respect for the recent passing of .

Why It Matters

Flying flags at half-staff—partway down the flagpole—is a practice used during times of mourning or respect, ordinarily reserved to mark the deaths of government officials, as well as annually on Memorial Day. Flags are only very occasionally lowered for non-Americans, such as to mark the death of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1965, Pope John Paul II in 2005, and in 2022.

What To Know

Following the news that Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, had , having failed to fully recover from an earlier bout of pneumonia, President ordered “all federal flags and state flags” to be flown at half-staff in his honor.

“He was a good man, he worked hard, he loved the world, and it’s an honor to do that,” the president told attendees at the White House Easter Egg Roll on Monday.

In a proclamation on the White House website, and via his social media platform Truth Social, Trump announced that flags displayed at all public grounds, military posts and on federal naval vessels will be flown at half-staff until sunset “on the day of interment,” when Pope Francis is laid to rest.

Under the U.S. Flag Code, the president has this authority in the event of the death of a “principal figure” in the U.S. government, as well as for other officials or foreign dignitaries. The Flag Code also dictates that the flags of states and cities cannot be flown above the Stars and Stripes, meaning all flags will be flown at half-staff until the pope’s funeral takes place this weekend.

Other nations have similarly chosen to lower their flags to honor Francis, whose 12-year papacy was marked with wide-reaching reforms within the Catholic Church. Flags at government buildings in the U.K. are to be flown at half-staff until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, local time.

What People Are Saying

President Donald Trump, via Truth Social on Monday: “As a mark of respect for the memory of His Holiness Pope Francis, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, on the day of interment. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.”

Vice President JD Vance, via X, formerly , on Monday: “I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him. I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But I’ll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful. May God rest his soul.”

What Happens Next?

The Vatican has announced that Francis’ body will be transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning for worshippers to pay respects ahead of his funeral on Saturday, 10 a.m. local time. Trump said both he and his wife Melania will be attending Pope Francis’ funeral.

Meanwhile, the papal conclave, the process by which a new pope is chosen, is likely to begin in the next few weeks, with Irish-American Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell serving as acting head of the Vatican until this takes place.