Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re eulogized Pope Francis on Saturday as a pope of the people, a paster who knew how to communicate to the “least among us” with an informal, spontaneous style.
Re called Francis “a pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone.”
He recalled the last image many people have of Francis was of him delivering what would become his final blessing on Easter Sunday, and saluting from the popemobile in the same piazza where his funeral was being celebrated.
The brief statement did not specify if that was in St. Peter’s Square alone.
Mourners were lined up along Via della Conciliazione, which leads up to the Vatican, and followed the Mass on big screens in public squares in Rome, including outside the Santa Maria Major Basilica.
That’s according to Zelenskyy’s press office.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung confirmed the meeting and said they “met privately today and had a very productive discussion.”
“More details about the meeting will follow,” he said.
Shortly after arriving in Rome last Friday, Trump said on social media that Ukraine and Russia should meet for “very high-level talks” on ending the three-year war sparked by Russia’s invasion. His envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier Friday, and Trump said both sides were “very close to a deal.”
Tens of thousands flocked to the funeral, which Francis choreographed himself when he revised and simplified the Vatican’s rites and rituals last year.
The coffin of Pope Francis is carried into St Peter’s Square for his funeral, at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
They carried the coffin, adorned with just a crucifix and Francis’ coat of arms, down the central aisle of St. Peter’s Basilica and out into the square at the start of his funeral.
Red-robbed cardinals lined the path and followed behind as the crowd in the square erupted in applause in a sign of respect.
Cardinals in rich red robes formed a double line in St. Peter’s Basilica, flanking the coffin as it was carried into the square for the funeral Mass. Pallbearers lifted the coffin to applause from the square.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Trump and his wife, Melania, were escorted out of St. Peter’s Basilica to their seats for the service.
He was followed afterward by Zelenskyy, who was greeted with a burst of applause from the audience.
Acutis was supposed to have been canonized on Sunday as the Catholic Church’s first millennial saint.
The Vatican suspended the ceremony after Pope Francis died, but many people who had made plans to be in Rome for the canonization came anyway to attend the funeral. Announcers asked all flags and banners be lowered as the funeral was getting underway.
Clergy take their seats for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Francis’ coffin will be brought from St. Peter’s Basilica to the front of the altar in the square.
Mourners were instructed to refrain from waving flags or banners during the procession.
World leaders and royalty sat to the right of the main altar.
EU Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and Argentine President Javier Milei have all made their way to their seating.
The Argentine and Italian leaders have a place of pride in the seating order.
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrived at St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday to attend the funeral of Pope Francis at Saint Peter’s Square at the Vatican.
Donald Trump arrived with his wife, Melania. He is among more than 50 heads of state and other dignitaries attending the funeral of Pope Francis.
Pope Francis waves to onlookers from his popemobile as his motorcade passes by on the way to another “Meeting With Families” at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines, Jan. 16, 2015. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez, File)
The pope will get one more ride past the faithful on one of his beloved popemobiles.
The Vatican says for Saturday’s burial procession, his coffin will be placed on the back of a popemobile used during his 2015 trip to the Philippines.
The vehicle has been modified so the coffin will be visible to mourners along the nearly 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) route from St. Peter’s Basilica to his burial place.
Francis reveled in being driven through crowds of faithful.
The 13 spent the night in a nearby square. They were already coming to Rome for the planned canonization of the first millennial saint on Sunday, which was suspended by Francis’ death. Instead, they drove up a day early for his funeral.
“The Lord wanted it this way, so we came all the same,’’ said Sandra De Felice of Anoia in the Calabria region. “For me, this is a sign that we need to be truly humble and charitable. Otherwise, we are nothing.”
The coffin of Pope Francis was sealed in St. Peter’s Basilica on Friday evening, ahead of the funeral on Saturday. A changing of the guards at Francis’ open coffin signaled the end of the viewing period of the pontiff, who was laid out in red robes, a bishop’s pointed miter and a rosary entwined in his hands.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell was presiding over the closing and sealing of the coffin in his role of camerlengo, or interim Vatican administrator. A white cloth was placed over the pope’s face, and a bag containing coins minted during his papacy were put in the coffin along with a one-page written account of his papacy.
The account of his papacy, called a rogito, summarizes his whole life’s story, from his childhood in Argentina as the son of parents with Italian heritage through his priesthood and promotions eventually to archbishop and cardinal in Buenos Aires — and then pope. It highlighted his “defense of innocents,” his encyclicals and also his illnesses.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s press office confirmed his arrival, joining the first lady Olena Zelenska, who preceded him.
Zelenskyy’s presence was put in doubt after a recent missile attack.
People queue trying to reach St. Peter’s Square ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
While dignitaries will be on hand, prisoners and migrants will usher Pope Francis Saturday into the basilica where he will be buried, reflecting his priorities as pope.
Francis is breaking with recent tradition and will be buried in the St. Mary Major Basilica, where a simple underground tomb awaits him with just his name: Franciscus
Faithful wait for the start of the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
They streamed Saturday to get a spot in standing room near the rear of the square surrounding the ancient obelisk, behind VIP seating.
Many ran toward the square as barricades opened. Some carried banners for the Jubilee Holy Year that Francis opened in December and will continue despite his death.
