by InTrieste
A solemn chapter in the history of the Catholic Church will close on Saturday, as world leaders descend on Rome to attend the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City.
The ceremony, scheduled for April 26, is expected to draw an extraordinary international presence, with more than 200,000 mourners anticipated, according to Italian officials. The pope’s death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from religious figures, heads of state and ordinary citizens around the globe.
Among the leaders confirmed to attend are President Donald Trump of the United States, Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom, President Emmanuel Macron of France, and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has cancelled a planned diplomatic visit to Central Asia to be present at the funeral.
Other prominent figures expected at the Vatican include German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, and President Javier Milei of Argentina — the pontiff’s native country.
The British royal family will be represented by Prince William, attending on behalf of King Charles III, who met Pope Francis just two weeks ago. Other European royals set to join the service include King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, as well as King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium.
Top representatives of the European Union — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola — will also attend, underscoring the pontiff’s significance as a unifying moral voice in Europe.
Notably absent from the funeral will be Russian President Vladimir V. Putin. The Kremlin confirmed his nonattendance, citing restrictions on international travel imposed by an International Criminal Court arrest warrant.
The public will be given the opportunity to pay final respects to the late pope, whose body will lie in state in St. Peter’s Basilica. The basilica will open to the public on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to midnight, and again on Thursday from 7 a.m. to midnight, and Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Following Saturday’s funeral mass, Pope Francis will be interred at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore — also known as St. Mary Major — in Rome, a site of special personal devotion to the pontiff. The burial site aligns with his final wishes, reflecting the humility and Marian devotion that shaped his papacy.
Security around the Vatican and central Rome will be significantly heightened, with Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi chairing a special public order meeting earlier this week to coordinate logistics for the unprecedented gathering.
Pope Francis, the first Jesuit pope and the first from the Americas, leaves behind a complex legacy shaped by efforts to modernize the Catholic Church, champion the marginalized, and bridge divides both spiritual and political.
