Pope Francis’ funeral today; world leaders arrive in Vatican to pay last respects

Vatican City: In an outpouring of global respect and sorrow, world leaders, royalty, and religious dignitaries gathered on Saturday in St. Peter’s Square for the funeral of Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 following a stroke.

The funeral ceremony commenced at 10:00 a.m. local time (1:30 p.m. IST) in the iconic Baroque plaza before St. Peter’s Basilica. His body will be placed in a cypress-wood coffin before the funeral and then placed in two other coffins that fit inside one another, each made of different types of wood, at his burial site.

The Argentine-born pontiff, the first from Latin America, died less than a month after returning home from a prolonged five-week hospitalisation for double pneumonia. His passing marks the end of a transformative papacy known for its emphasis on humility, social justice, and interfaith dialogue.

After the funeral mass on Saturday, Pope Francis will be buried outside the Vatican in St. Mary Major, a basilica in Rome. He will be the first pope in more than five centuries to be buried there.

President Droupadi Murmu is leading the Indian delegation in Rome, accompanied by Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State George Kurian, and Deputy Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly Joshua De Souza.

The Indian leaders joined more than 50 heads of state, 10 reigning monarchs and 130 foreign delegations attending Saturday’s ceremony.

Among the global dignitaries in attendance are US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and Argentinian President Javier Milei.

Representing the United Kingdom are Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prince William. While Russian President Vladimir Putin is absent, Russia has sent its Culture Minister in his place.

Notably, China, which lacks formal diplomatic ties with the Vatican, permitted Hong Kong’s Cardinal Joseph Zen to travel to Rome, underscoring the late Pope’s outreach efforts.

Iran has dispatched a senior delegation alongside the Cardinal of Tehran-Isfahan, who will participate in the forthcoming papal conclave.

The Vatican confirmed that the funeral date was set by Cardinals during a general congregation meeting the first step leading to a conclave expected within three weeks to elect Pope Francis’ successor.

Despite current geopolitical tensions, Israel has sent a modest delegation amid strained relations over the late Pope’s stance on the recent conflict involving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

–IANS