As the Vatican prepares for the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday, world leaders and dignitaries are converging on Rome to pay their respects to the late pontiff. Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88, following a stroke.
The Vatican confirmed that 130 delegations have confirmed their attendance for the funeral, including 50 heads of state and 10 reigning monarchs. US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are among the notable figures arriving on Friday. Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, is expected to arrive after the sealing of Francis’ coffin.
Other confirmed attendees include French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Hungarian President Viktor Orbán. Notably absent from the gathering are Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, both of whom have outstanding warrants from the International Criminal Court.
The basilica has already seen more than 90,000 visitors who paid their respects to Pope Francis on Thursday, prompting the Vatican to extend the basilica’s opening hours overnight. A group of homeless and poor people will have a chance to meet the pope’s coffin before the funeral, as part of a special gesture by the Vatican. Pope Francis will be laid to rest at the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major, near an icon of the Virgin Mary that he often prayed before during his life.
The election of a new pope will not take place until at least May 5, with the conclave to choose the next leader of the Catholic Church. Cardinal Fernando Filoni, an Italian cardinal, stated on Thursday that preparations are ongoing, and that the cardinals are still in the organizational phase of the process.
