World Gathers at St Peter’s for the Historic Funeral of Pope Francis

An extraordinary congregation of global dignitaries, faith leaders, and the marginalized will assemble at St Peter’s Square on Saturday for the funeral of Pope Francis, the transformative and widely revered pontiff who led the Catholic Church for 12 years. His passing at the age of 88 marked the end of a papacy defined by humility, inclusivity, and a deep commitment to social justice.

Pope Francis died on Monday at his residence, Casa Santa Marta, following complications from a stroke and heart failure. He had been recovering from a prolonged battle with double pneumonia that required a five-week hospitalization.

Over the past three days, tens of thousands of mourners passed through St Peter’s Basilica to pay their final respects. His simple wooden coffin was sealed in a private ceremony on Friday evening, in accordance with his wishes.

The funeral mass, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. local time, will be presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals. The Vatican is hosting a complex and expansive security operation to accommodate an estimated 200,000 pilgrims and at least 130 international delegations. The effort involves thousands of Italian police and military personnel, as well as the Vatican’s Swiss Guards. Anti-drone weaponry, rooftop snipers, and aerial patrols have been deployed to safeguard the solemn proceedings.

Among the attendees are leaders from across the globe, including U.S. President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden, Argentine President Javier Milei, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Prince William. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected, pending military obligations. Delegations are seated according to diplomatic protocol, with Argentina at the front, followed by Italian officials and other heads of state.

A hallmark of Pope Francis’s papacy—his outreach to society’s most vulnerable—is reflected in the guest list. In an unprecedented move, invitations were extended to refugees, formerly incarcerated individuals, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and the homeless. NGOs such as Mediterranea Saving Humans and Refugees in Libya, both of which had personal ties to the pontiff, will be represented at the service.

“He was a true disciple of Jesus—he spoke to everyone,” said Luca Casarini, founder of Mediterranea Saving Humans. “He always encouraged us to save lives at sea and welcome those in need.”

Mahamat Daoud, a refugee and survivor of Libyan detention camps, also attending the funeral, recalled his meeting with the Pope in 2023: “He was the only pope who truly stood with refugees and vulnerable people. His loss is deeply felt.”

Following the mass, the Pope’s coffin will be transported through Rome in a slow, symbolic procession to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. The route will pass iconic landmarks, including the Colosseum, before arriving at the fourth-century church in the Esquilino district. As per Francis’s final wishes, the sendoff will be led by a group of 40 individuals, including prisoners and people experiencing homelessness.

Pope Francis, who named himself after St Francis of Assisi—the patron saint of the poor—sought to redefine the trappings of papal power. His burial will reflect this humility. Eschewing the traditional crypt beneath St Peter’s, his coffin will be placed in a modest niche previously used for storing candlesticks. The tomb will bear no adornment other than the Latin inscription “Franciscus.”

Attendance at the burial will be restricted to his close family and select Vatican staff, making it one of the most understated papal funerals in modern history.

As the Church prepares for a new chapter, the College of Cardinals has approved nine days of official mourning. The papal conclave—the secretive process to elect Francis’s successor—is not expected to begin before May 5.

In death, as in life, Pope Francis continues to unite the faithful and forgotten alike—reminding the world of a legacy grounded not in grandeur, but in grace.