The funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday drew a crowd to St. Peter’s Square that included kings and queens, presidents and prime ministers, cardinals and archbishops, as well as thousands of devoted followers touched by his commitment to the poor, his defense of the world’s migrants, and his outreach to those long marginalized by the church.
Though the famously humble pontiff requested simplicity in his wooden coffin and final resting place, the funeral Mass still reflected the grandeur and traditions of the Vatican. See photos below of some of the highlights of the day honoring the leader known as “the People’s Pope.”
Crowd fills St. Peter’s Square for Pope Francis’ funeral
An estimated 250,000 people attended the funeral service outside St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.
Pallbearers carry the coffin of Pope Francis
Church regalia on display
President Trump and world leaders in attendance
The Vatican said delegations from about 130 countries would attend the ceremony, including about 50 heads of state and 10 reigning monarchs. President Trump and first lady Melania Trump were there, and former President Joe Biden also attended. Before the funeral, Mr. Trump met privately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Prayers from the faithful for Pope Francis
Funeral Mass and homily honoring “a pope among the people”
The Mass was led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the College of Cardinals, who also delivered a highly personal homily.
“He was a pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone,” Re said of Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88. “The guiding thread of his mission was also the conviction that the church is a home for all, a home with its doors always open.”
Crowds pay their last respects to Pope Francis
After the funeral Mass, the coffin of Pope Francis was taken in a procession aboard the popemobile through the streets of Rome to his final resting place, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major). In his last will and testament, Francis asked to be buried in that fifth-century church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, where he went to pray before and after his foreign travels as pontiff.
“Grazie Papa Francisco!”
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