Thousands Pay Final Respects as World Leaders Gather for Pope Francis’s Funeral
In a poignant farewell, thousands of mourners flooded into St. Peter’s Basilica on the eve of Pope Francis’s funeral to pay their last respects. Today marked the final opportunity for the public to view the pontiff, who lay in state in an open casket. Since Wednesday, the Vatican reported that approximately 250,000 visitors had come to honor the late Pope.
As the funeral approaches, world leaders have convened in Rome. British Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, while former President Donald Trump expressed admiration for Pope Francis, calling him a "good man" who "loved the world." Amid speculation about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s attendance, he has now been confirmed among the presidential delegations expected tomorrow.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron was spotted entering St. Peter’s Basilica just before it closed today, joining the many who wished to honor the Pope before the service. After the Basilica’s closing, a private ceremony took place to seal the Pope’s coffin, with a white cloth draped over his face as the lid was fixed.
Tomorrow’s funeral is anticipated to draw around 200,000 attendees, with an estimated one million others expected to watch the proceedings unfold in Rome. The stage is set for an unprecedented outpouring of grief and remembrance for a leader who impacted many.
We will resume coverage in the morning and invite everyone to tune in for live updates and complete coverage of the funeral starting at 8 AM across our digital platforms.
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