Numerous world leaders have announced they will travel to Rome for Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday, which is expected to draw a huge crowd in the square in front of St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican
Pope Francis ’ funeral has been set for Saturday at 10 am in St. Peter’s Square, and a viewing of his body will begin on Wednesday in St. Peter’s Basilica, days after the popular pontiff died of a stroke at age 88. He is currently lying in state in the Santa Marta Domus in a private viewing for Vatican residents and the papal household.
Cardinals met at the Vatican on Tuesday to schedule Francis’ funeral and burial, plan the conclave to elect his successor and make other decisions about running the Catholic Church as world leaders and the ordinary faithful grieve the pontiff’s death.
History’s first Latin American pontiff charmed the world with his humble style and concern for the poor but alienated many conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change. He last appeared in public on Sunday with an Easter blessing and popemobile tour through a cheering crowd in St. Peter’s Square.
US President Donald Trump was among the first to confirm he would attend the funeral, even after Francis criticised his migrant deportations. He will attend with his wife Melania. Trump said in a social media post: “We look forward to being there!.”
Other leaders from the Americas, who will be present on Saturday, include President Javier Milei of Argentina, where the pope was born in 1936. The pope had a delicate relationship with politics in his homeland, but Milei hailed his “wisdom”.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will also attend with his wife Janja, his government said. Lula has said Francis “vigorously criticised the economic models that have brought so much injustice to humanity”.
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres will attend the funeral, his office said.
India began three days of state mourning on Tuesday, a rare honour for a foreign religious leader, while Italy declared five — longer than the three days observed for Pope John Paul II in 2005.
From Europe, EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, head of the European Council, will both travel to Rome. Prime Minister Keir Starmer will attend, and Prince William will also go to represent head of state King Charles III.
Ireland’s President Micheal Higgins and his wife will travel to Rome for the ceremony, his office said, along with Prime Minister Micheal Martin. Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia will attend, the royal palace said. Felipe called the pontiff “an enormous ethical beacon of our world, of our time”.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who cut short a visit to the Indian Ocean region after the pope’s death, told reporters: “We will attend the pope’s funeral as we should.”
Germany’s outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz is also expected, along with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who will lead Germany’s delegation. Incoming chancellor Friedrich Merz will not attend.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said Francis had “prayed for peace in Ukraine”, will attend with his wife, Olena Zelenska. Zelensky expressed hope of meeting Trump at the ceremony.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin, who is subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over his invasion of Ukraine, will not attend, the Kremlin said.
Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, who declared a national day of mourning for Saturday, will be among the mourners with his wife. Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever will attend, as will King Philippe and Queen Mathilde.
The Netherlands’ King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima — who also has Argentine nationality — will not make the trip due to the king’s birthday celebrations despite being “deeply moved” by Francis’s passing, the royal family said. The country’s Prime Minister Dick Schoof and Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp will go to the funeral.
Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Prime Minister Luis Montenegro will lead a delegation to the ceremony. Hungary’s President Tamas Sulyok confirmed his attendance, as did Austria’s Chancellor Christian Stocker, and Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar, who will be there with Prime Minister Robert Golob. The presidents of all three Baltic states will attend: Gitanas Nauseda of Lithuania, Edgars Rinkevics of Latvia and Alar Karis of Estonia.
Monaco’s royal family announced three days of mourning and a palace source said Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene would go to the funeral. Other European states sending leaders include the Czech Republic, Kosovo, Moldova, Romania and Slovakia.
