Farewell to Pope Francis: List of world leaders attending Saturday's funeral

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Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, will be laid to rest on Saturday in St Peter’s Square, concluding his 12-year papacy. World leaders, including US President Trump and UK Prime Minister Starmer, will attend. He will lie in state for three days, and his wish was to be buried at the Basilica of St Mary Major.

The funeral of Pope Francis, history’s first Latin American pontiff, will be held on Saturday at 10 am in St Peter’s Square, bringing to a close a remarkable papacy that spanned for more than 12 years. The 88-year-old Argentine Pope died on Monday after suffering a stroke which left him in a coma and ultimately led to heart failure.

For three days, Pope Francis will lie in open casket at St Peter’s Basilica where thousands are expected to pay their final respects. While ordinary people will have an opportunity to pay their respects from Wednesday, Vatican officials were allowed to say their goodbyes starting Monday evening.

“He truly gave everything he had, up to the end,” said Sister Nathalie Becquart, one of the Vatican’s highest-ranking women. “He really walked with his people.”

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside over the funeral Mass. The College of Cardinals, meanwhile, has begun preparations for the next papal conclave, which, under current rules, must begin between 5 and 10 May.

Leaders gathering for Pope’s funeral

World leaders from across the globe are expected to attend the funeral. US President Donald Trump along with his wife, Melania Trump, have confirmed their presence alongside Argentine President Javier Milei.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will join mourners at Pope Francis’s funeral in Rome on Saturday, Downing Street confirmed on Tuesday. A spokesperson added that the Prime Minister would also take part in a scheduled daily press briefing later that day. Buckingham Palace has not yet confirmed whether King Charles III will accompany him to the ceremony.

Frome Spain, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain will be attending the funeral at the Vatican, the Spanish royal palace confirmed. Speaking at a reception in Madrid on Tuesday, King Felipe paid tribute to the late pontiff, describing him as “an enormous ethical beacon of our world, of our time” who transcended the boundaries of the Catholic Church.

German chancellor Olaf Scholz and president Frank-Walter Steinmeier will lead Germany’s delegation.

French President Emmanuel Macron also confirmed on Tuesday that he would be attending the funeral, saying, “we will attend the pope’s funeral as we should.”

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council head António Costa will also be in attendance.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accompanied by first lady Olena Zelenska, will also be among the mourners.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be among the attendees. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed, “The president has no such plans,” when asked by reporters whether Putin, who faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant restricting his ability to travel abroad, would be present at the funeral.

Italy declared five days of national mourning, two more than were observed for Pope John Paul II, highlighting the immense impact Francis had on his adopted homeland.

Back in India, the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman will hold a mass in honour of Pope Francis on April 24, at the Cathedral Church in Old Goa, led by Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrao. Offices at the Bishop’s House will remain closed on April 26 in respect for the late pontiff.

Pope Francis’ final wish was to be laid to rest at the Basilica of St Mary Major, home to his beloved Salus Populi Romani, icon of the Virgin Mary. It is a contrast from the tradition of papal burials in the grottoes beneath St. Peter’s.

“He wanted to be buried under the shadow of a woman, in this case Maria,” said Italian Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi. “That is significant, his desire for the church to do more for women.”

His final appearance came just a day before his passing, when he surprised the faithful with an Easter blessing from the popemobile, waving and smiling around St Peter’s Square, in what appears to have been a peaceful goodbye.

TOI World Desk

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