Tens of thousands gathered at the Vatican on Saturday, April 26, to pay their final respects to Pope Francis during a solemn and simplified funeral ceremony.
More than 250,000 mourners filled St. Peter’s Square, where the two-hour service unfolded with traditional Catholic rites.
Following the funeral, the late pontiff’s coffin was transported to Rome’s Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, where he was entombed in the gold basilica, the highest point in the Italian capital.
The funeral came just six days after Pope Francis, the first Latin American to hold the papacy, made his final public appearance during Easter celebrations.
Attendees included 130 official delegations, featuring world leaders and royalty. Notably, U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met ahead of the service, according to the Ukrainian presidency.
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, one of the highest-ranking officials in the Catholic Church, led the mass. In his sermon, the 91-year-old praised Pope Francis as “a pope among the people,” and commended his legacy of compassion and openness.
Rome says farewell to the ‘people’s Pope’