(AFP) – Tens of thousands of mourners flooded St Peter’s Square on Saturday as the world bid farewell to Pope Francis, the Catholic Church’s first Latin American leader and a tireless advocate for the poor.
Many mourners camped overnight to secure a place at the funeral, which drew more than 50 world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, alongside royalty and cardinals from across the globe. Francis, who died on Monday at 88, spent his 12-year papacy working to make the Church more inclusive and compassionate.
An estimated 250,000 people filed past his coffin during three days of lying in state, and authorities expected nearly 200,000 for Saturday’s mass, which was set to begin at 10:00 am local time (0800 GMT). Italian and Vatican security forces mounted a major operation, enforcing a no-fly zone, deploying fighter jets, and stationing snipers around the Vatican.
“He was more than a pope; he embodied humanity,” said Andrea Ugalde, 39, who traveled from Los Angeles to pay her respects.
Francis’s funeral launches nine days of official mourning at the Vatican, after which cardinals will convene to elect a new pope for the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
During his papacy, Francis challenged global leaders on issues like migration and climate change, sometimes drawing sharp criticism. Yet his humility and compassion won widespread admiration.
President Tru
mp, who had clashed with Francis over immigration policy, arrived with First Lady Melania Trump late Friday, describing the pope as “a good man who loved the world.” Trump is expected to engage with several leaders during his visit, though a highly anticipated meeting with Zelensky had not been confirmed by Saturday morning.
Also in attendance were U.S. President Joe Biden, Argentina’s Javier Milei, Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, France’s Emmanuel Macron, and Lebanon’s Joseph Aoun. Prince William and other royals joined the dignitaries in honoring the late pontiff.
While Israel limited its representation to its Vatican ambassador — a response to Francis’s criticism over Gaza — China, which lacks formal Vatican ties, did not send any delegation.
Pope Francis succumbed to a stroke and heart failure, less than a month after recovering from a severe bout of pneumonia. Throughout his papacy, he remained deeply connected to the faithful, often breaking protocol to engage directly with ordinary people.
His final act before death — blessing the world on Easter Sunday — was a fitting end to a ministry devoted to uplifting the vulnerable and marginalized.
True to his humble spirit, Francis requested a simple wooden coffin and chose to be buried at Santa Maria Maggiore, his favorite Roman basilica, rather than within Vatican grounds — a decision not seen in over a century.
After the funeral, the cortege will proceed past Rome’s ancient Fori Imperiali and the Colosseum to the basilica, where a group of the “poor and needy” will welcome his coffin, the Vatican announced.
Francis’s papacy is credited with revitalizing the Catholic Church’s global image. He made significant reforms, allowing divorced Catholics to receive communion, baptizing transgender believers, and blessing same-sex couples — while maintaining the Church’s longstanding opposition to abortion.
His first international trip — to Lampedusa, to highlight the plight of migrants — set the tone for a papacy defined by compassion, humility, and advocacy for the forgotten.
“The pope showed us another way to live our faith,” said Lara Amado, 25, reflecting the sentiments of Catholics gathered in Buenos Aires and across the world.
