Pope Francis’ funeral held today; World leaders gather in Vatican to pay final respects

In a profound display of global mourning, world leaders, royalty, and religious dignitaries convened at St. Peter’s Square on Saturday for the funeral of Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88 following a stroke.

The funeral ceremony began at 10:00 a.m. local time (1:30 p.m. IST) in the historic Baroque plaza before St. Peter’s Basilica. Ahead of the burial, the Pope’s body was placed in a cypress-wood coffin, which will be encased in two additional coffins made of different types of wood, as per tradition.

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 death marks the end of a transformative papacy defined by humility, advocacy for social justice, and efforts toward interfaith dialogue.

Following the funeral mass, Pope Francis will be laid to rest at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, becoming the first pope in over 500 years to be buried outside the Vatican.

India’s delegation, led by President Droupadi Murmu, includes Union Minister for Parliamentary and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State George Kurian, and Goa Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker Joshua De Souza.

More than 50 heads of state, 10 reigning monarchs, and 130 international delegations are attending the funeral. Among the prominent global figures present are U.S. 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 notably absent, Russia has sent its Culture Minister as a representative.

In a rare diplomatic gesture, China, despite lacking formal ties with the Vatican—allowed Hong Kong’s Cardinal Joseph Zen to travel to Rome, highlighting the late Pope’s bridge-building initiatives.

Iran has also dispatched a high-level delegation along with the Cardinal of Tehran-Isfahan, who is expected to take part in the upcoming papal conclave.

The Vatican confirmed that the funeral date was determined by the College of Cardinals during a general congregation—the initial step toward the conclave, anticipated within three weeks to elect Pope Francis’ successor.

Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions, Israel has sent a limited delegation, reflecting strained ties over the late Pope’s position on recent conflicts involving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.