Pope Francis Funeral Draws Large Crowds Under Sunny Skies With Global Media and World Leaders Gathered at Vatican

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On a chilly Saturday morning, the solemn funeral ceremony for Pope Francis unfolded in St. Peter’s Square, gathering approximately 200,000 people. Among them were fifty heads of state, ten reigning monarchs, and countless global news outlets providing live updates. The emotional event is predicted to be broadcast to billions of viewers worldwide.

On a bright Easter Monday morning, six days following his passing at the age of 88, Pope Francis received his final farewell from mourners. Since Wednesday, over 120,000 faithful people have been queuing up in St. Peter’s Basilica, continuing until Friday, to express their respects.

According to his expressed desire to streamline the rituals for papal funerals, Pope Francis’ body was placed in a simple wooden coffin at St. Peter’s, foregoing the longstanding practice of using three coffins – two crafted from cypress and oak, and one from lead.

Joe and Jill Biden, former U.S. President and First Lady respectively, were among the early attendees at Pope’s funeral in St. Peter’s Square. Similarly, Donald Trump, the former U.S. President, and Melania Trump, his wife, also arrived early and paused before the closed coffin of the pope to express their condolences. The current president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, was also in attendance. Prior to the funeral, images suggest that Trump and Zelensky held a private meeting, as confirmed by a White House statement. These photos were taken inside St. Peter’s Basilica before the service commenced.

The large audience erupted in cheers when pictures of Zelensky’s arrival displayed on the giant screen in St. Peter’s.

Delegations arranged themselves based on alphabetical order in French, which placed the United States (or États-Unis) between Eswatini and Ethiopia among African nations, and not too far from French President Emmanuel Macron. On the other hand, Biden was seated at a slightly more distant location.

Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, stated on Tuesday that he does not intend to participate, as the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for him. This means that if he were to visit Italy, one of the 125 ICC member states, their police would be obligated to apprehend him.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Head of the College of Cardinals, oversaw the funeral service and gave the concluding prayer and farewell speech.

Pope Francis’ funeral commenced with a brief melodious hymn and psalm recited in Latin, following the placement of a Bible from the Gospels atop Francis’ closed casket, which had been carried by bearers from within St. Peter’s Basilica and set on a red carpet at the church’s entrance. The funeral mass for Pope Francis was predominantly sung in Gregorian chant.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista commended Francis during his sermon as a “pope who connects with the people, showing warmth and compassion to all.

According to Re, Pope Francis deeply empathized with the concerns, pains, and aspirations that characterize our era of global interconnectedness.

The cardinal mentioned that the Pope’s actions and encouragements towards refugees and displaced individuals are numerous. He also stressed that the Pope’s dedication to helping the less fortunate was unwavering,” he continued, highlighting that Francis’ initial trip as pope was to Lampedusa, a Sicilian island known as Lampedusa which often serves as a landing point for refugees crossing from North Africa and is now synonymous with the migrant crisis.

The crowd broke into applause when Re mentioned Pope Francis’ trip to Lampedusa.

Amidst the brutal conflicts of late, marked by unspeakable atrocities, loss of life, and widespread devastation, Pope Francis has been persistently advocating for peace, urging cool-headedness, and encouraging sincere dialogue in search of viable resolutions,” Pope Francis stated.

During the solemn closing ceremony of Francis’ funeral mass, Cardinal Re sanctified the bread and wine for Holy Communion while the Sistine Chapel Choir, consisting of 20 men and 30 boys, sang in harmony. Numerous priests dispersed among the vast crowd in the square, offering communion, symbolizing the body and blood of Christ to all present.

As a movie-goer reflecting on this film’s climax, I found myself moved by Cardinal Re’s poignant delivery of the closing benediction and farewell.

The Dean of the College of Cardinals expressed in Latin that we should ask God’s compassionate forgiveness for Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, who strengthened his followers in their belief in the resurrection.

Afterward, there was a Byzantine service conducted by delegates from the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches, which although autonomous from the primary Roman Catholic Church, recognize the Pope as their head.

The somber funeral mass came to an end with a final prayer, symbolically handing over Francis to God, while the sound of bells tolled in solemn farewell as his casket returned to St. Peter’s Basilica.

In his will, Francis expressed a preference not to be interred at St. Peter’s, the traditional burial site for popes, but rather desired his remains to find their final resting place at Rome’s St. Mary Major Basilica, which lies approximately 3.5 kilometers away from St. Peter’s.

Christopher Lamb, CNN’s Vatican Correspondent, stated that Francis’ choice to be buried in St. Mary Major Basilica outside the Vatican and his decision to use a simple wooden casket instead of multiple coffins, as his predecessors did, symbolizes his continued emphasis on the values of his papacy – simplicity and humility, even beyond death,” when speaking with EbMaster.

Lamb pointed out that there’s a large turnout as indicated by the high number of individuals attending,” or simply, “Lamb noted that many people are participating, as suggested by the big crowds.

After the funeral service, Francis’ funeral procession is currently underway, with his coffin being transported in a white hearse towards the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major. This journey takes them through central Rome, where they pass by iconic landmarks like the Colosseum and Roman Forum. Thousands of mourners line the streets, capturing the motorcade on their phones and offering applause as they bid a final farewell.

After that, pallbearers gently removed Francis’ casket from the white hearse and carried it into the basilica, where he would be laid to rest. However, his burial ceremony will not be broadcasted on television.

After the pope’s funeral, following a strict protocol, there will be a waiting period of at least one week before the secretive gathering known as the conclave takes place. During this conclave, approximately 135 cardinals from around the globe will convene in the Sistine Chapel to choose the next leader of the Catholic Church. The beginning of the conclave is now anticipated to occur between May 5 and May 10.

CNN’s Lamb remarked to EbMaster, “It’s truly astounding how this event has generated immense global curiosity and focus.” He added, “I believe the papal transition, including the funeral and conclave, continues to captivate audiences, especially following the release of the movie ‘Conclave.’ It certainly makes for compelling television with its dramatic high points.” The Vatican reported that over 4,000 journalists were accredited to cover the funeral.

Regarding who might become the next Pope, Lamb expressed that “it appears to be quite uncertain.” This uncertainty arises because 110 of the cardinal electors were picked by the current Pope (Francis) and generally embody his idea of a more welcoming church. These cardinals hail from regions that previously lacked representation in the College of Cardinals, making it a much more international body. You’ll find cardinals from Tonga, Haiti, Central Africa, Mongolia among them. Given this diversity, Lamb suggests there’s a high degree of unpredictability in the election process.

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2025-04-26 20:47