World Leaders Gather In Rome For Funeral Of Pope Francis

World leaders, royals, and religious dignitaries gathered in St Peter’s Square on Saturday to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, who passed away on 21 April 2025 at the age of 88 following a stroke.

The sombre yet dignified funeral service commenced at 10:00 AM local time (1:30 PM IST) in front of the historic St Peter’s Basilica.

Ceremonial Traditions Observed

Before the funeral, Vatican officials placed the late pope’s body in a cypress-wood coffin.

Following tradition, they will enclose it within two additional coffins of different wood types, each symbolising stages of burial, before interment.

End Of A Historic Papacy

The Argentine-born pontiff, the first Latin American to lead the Catholic Church, passed away less than a month after returning from a five-week hospital stay for double pneumonia.

Also Read: World Leaders Head To Rome For funeral Of Pope Francis

His papacy left a lasting impact, with a legacy centred on humility, compassion, social justice, and fostering interfaith unity.

Burial Outside The Vatican

Following the funeral mass, the Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis would be laid to rest at the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome.

Remarkably, he becomes the first pope in over 500 years to be buried outside the Vatican grounds.

India Sends High-Level Delegation

India marked its respect by sending a senior delegation led by President Droupadi Murmu.

Union Minister for Parliamentary and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State George Kurian, and Deputy Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly Joshua De Souza accompanied her.

Global Dignitaries In Attendance

The funeral drew more than 50 heads of state, 10 reigning monarchs, and over 130 international delegations.

Notable attendees included US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, and Argentinian President Javier Milei.

Representing the United Kingdom were Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prince William.

Though Russian President Vladimir Putin did not attend, Russia sent its Culture Minister in his stead.

Symbolic Participation From China And Iran

In a rare gesture, China allowed Cardinal Joseph Zen from Hong Kong to travel to Rome, reflecting the late pope’s significant outreach to nations lacking formal Vatican ties.

Iran also sent a high-ranking delegation and included the Cardinal of Tehran-Isfahan, who will likely participate in the upcoming papal conclave.

Papal Succession In Motion

The Vatican confirmed that cardinals set the funeral date during a general congregation, the first formal step toward electing a new pope.

The Catholic Church expects to hold a conclave within the next three weeks to choose Pope Francis’ successor.

Global Tributes Amid Geopolitical Strains

Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions, Israel sent a modest delegation.

Observers noted the strained ties over Pope Francis’ stance on recent conflicts involving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration, yet acknowledged the symbolic significance of Israel’s presence.