Pope buried at Santa Maria Maggiore. 400,000 in the square and path. Cardinal Re: "He urged to build bridges".

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni 'met today at Palazzo Chigi with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. During the talks, the leaders reiterated their support for President Trump's efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace, capable of guaranteeing a future of security, sovereignty and freedom for Ukraine."

"Seeing Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky talking about peace at the funeral of the 'Pope of Peace' has enormous significance". So says Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni commenting with Repubblica on the photo that immortalises the meeting between the American president and the Ukrainian president in St Peter's basilica before the funeral of Pope Francis. 'A historic day', it is defined.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and U.S. President Donald Trump meet, while they attend the funeral of Pope Francis, at the Vatican April 26, 2025. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY

"It was an extraordinary day that saw great participation by both the citizens of Rome and the faithful from all over the world in bidding farewell to His Holiness Pope Francis. Four hundred thousand people shared a historic and emotional moment, and thanks to everyone's commitment, the day took place in a solemn and serene manner, without any criticalities". This was said by the head of the Civil Protection, Fabio Ciciliano. "I want to personally thank the entire National Civil Protection Service," he added, "and especially the three thousand civil protection volunteers who are in the front line in assisting the faithful with their generosity and humanity.

Piazza di Santa Maria Maggiore began to empty out after the final farewell to the coffin of Pope Francis, who arrived in the Basilica after a long funeral procession that crossed the centre of Rome starting from St Peter's Square, where the funeral was held at 10am this morning.

At 13:00 the rite of burial of the coffin of Pope Francis began: the rite was carried out according to the prescriptions of the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, presided over by Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Farrell, in the presence of those indicated in the relevant Notification of the Office of Liturgical Celebrations and the family members of the deceased Pope, and ended at 13:30. This was announced by the Vatican Press Office.

The seals were impressed on the coffin of Pope Francis, the very last rite before its deposition in the tomb. The seals were impressed by Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, Coadjutor Archpriest of the Basilica of St. Mary Major.

"At the end of the funeral ceremony at St. Peter's and the procession that accompanied the coffin of Pope Francis along the streets of Rome to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, I would like to emphasise the great commitment shown and the extraordinary proof of efficiency demonstrated under the coordination of the Civil Protection Department". This was stated by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. "I express my heartfelt thanks to all the administrations involved, including the Ministry of the Interior, the Prefecture and the Questura of Rome, the Police Forces, the Fire Brigade, the Armed Forces, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the health and civil protection structures of the Lazio Region and other Regions, Roma Capitale, the municipal companies responsible for the management of essential services, ENAC, ENAV, the Italian State Railways Group, the managers of transport, mobility and telecommunications infrastructures, as well as the women and men of the voluntary sector. To all of them," the Prime Minister concluded, "goes the thanks of the Government and my own personal thanks for having guaranteed with professionalism, dedication, and spirit of service the smooth running of a historic day for Italy and the entire world.

"Among those present in St Peter's Square and along the route we estimate no less than 400,000 people". This was said by the Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, speaking on the Tg5 special.

"I can say that I had a bit of an impression that today's was almost a dress rehearsal for a Council". Thus a thought of the Archbishop of Florence, Monsignor Gherardo Gambelli, at the end of the funeral of Pope Francis, entrusted to a note issued by the Florentine archdiocese. For Gambelli, "we are preparing for the Ecclesial Assembly of 2028 and this also predisposes us to a new Council that could be a truly precious and important moment to truly live a greater fidelity to the Gospel, which is what Pope Francis has taught us in all these years".

The three leaders of Cgil Cisl Uil, Maurizio Landini, Daniela Fumarola and Pierpaolo Bombardieri were also in St. Peter's Square, for the funeral of Pope Francis, in the space reserved for all Italian authorities.

"Here in the parish we are praying in spiritual union with Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis. We are broadcasting the funeral for the refugees. In the afternoon we will celebrate a mass in his suffrage, with the Rosary and funeral prayers". Father Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest of the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza, told Sir. "From today," the parish priest revealed, "every day at 8pm (7pm in Italy) we will toll the bells of our church to remember the Pope's hour. Every evening he would call us at 8pm to let us hear his words, his support, his prayer, his blessing. We pray for him for the whole Church and for peace'. The Pope's last phone call to the parish of Gaza was two days before his death.

Germany, represented at the funeral of Pope Francis by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, paid tribute to the Pontiff, recalling his universal message of brotherhood. "Francis was a Pope who opened people's hearts. His humility, his spontaneity, his humour, his deep faith, but also his call for mercy, touched people," Steinmeier said in a message released by his spokeswoman. "The world says goodbye to Pope Francis. His call to humanity and brotherhood remains," Scholz also wrote.

A brief exchange with Ursula von der Leyen and an embrace with Javier Milei. Upon her arrival on St. Peter's parvis before the funeral of Pope Francis, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, as seen in the pictures, greeted the President of the European Commission, with whom she stopped briefly to talk, and, among others, the President of Argentina, in the place of honour with the delegation from Bergoglio's country of origin next to the Italian delegation.

'There has been a deployment of all the resources of the security system'. This was said by Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi upon arriving at the Questura operations room. "The security system will remain in place over the next few days," he added, "Tomorrow there is the Jubilee of Adolescents with 120,000 people booked and from tomorrow Santa Maria Maggiore will also become one of the reference points after the burial of the Holy Father. The minister then stressed: 'I am here to thank first of all the operational coordinator, the prefect and the quaestor. It is still early to close a balance sheet, but we have given a good image of the Italian system'.

After the entrance in procession to St. Mary Major, Pope Francis' coffin was carried and made to pause for a few moments in front of the chapel of the Marian icon of the Salus Populi Romani, so loved by the Pontiff and before which he prayed on many occasions. Some children carried two baskets of white roses to the altar.

The white popemobile carrying the coffin with Pope Francis arrived in the square of St. Mary Major, the Marian basilica where, at his request, he will be buried.

Brief conversation between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and US President Donald Trump after the funeral of Pope Francis.

In addition to the face-to-face meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky in St. Peter's Basilica before the funeral of Pope Francis, the US and Ukrainian presidents also had a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The four were pictured in a photograph.

Il colloquio tra Trump, Zelensky, Macron e Starmer

TOPSHOT - In this handout photograph taken and released by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Service in Kyiv on April 26, 2025, (L-R) France's President Emmanuel Macron, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump speak with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of Pope Francis's funeral at St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. (Photo by Handout / UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

The funeral of Pope Francis is drawing to a close with the coffin being transferred to St. Peter's Basilica before the long procession to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore where the Pontiff has asked to be buried.

There are 40 people who will welcome the body of Pope Francis on his arrival in the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where the pontiff will be buried. In particular, ten refugees have been chosen from among the guests of the diocesan Caritas centres. Also present in the group were prisoners, homeless people, families in difficulty, women victims of trafficking, accompanied by various lay and religious associations. The 40 guests arrived in the morning and are waiting inside the basilica for the funeral procession to arrive.

From Brescia to Rebibbia, to the Regina Coeli prison, where Francis was until three days before his death, some inmates are following the Pope's funeral on television sets in the common areas set up by the institutes themselves to allow everyone to attend the ceremony. Reportedly, some inmates have also asked, and obtained, permission to be in St. Peter's Square to be at the funeral

For the first time at a papal funeral, the Chinese language was included among those used for the recitation of the 'Universal Prayer', along with Italian, French, Arabic, Portuguese, Polish and German. Cardinal Dean Giovanni Battista Re celebrated Francis' funeral.

With the 'Ultima Commendatio et Valedictio', the rite of last recommendation and farewell to the corpse, the funeral of Pope Francis, on the parvis of St. Peter's Basilica, is coming to an end.

These are the supplications of the Church of Rome recited by the vicar Card. Baldo Reina and of the Eastern Churches who, in Greek, with patriarchs and major archbishops, intone the prayers taken from the Office of the Dead from the Byzantine Liturgy.

The crew of the Amerigo Vespucci observed a minute's silence at 10 a.m. sharp in Valletta's Grand Harbour, Malta, respecting the national mourning provisions proclaimed by the Meloni government. The Italian Navy training ship, which on 6 June will conclude its World Tour that began in 2023, arrived in Malta this morning from Crotone. On board it currently has first-year Academy students for the customary (albeit early) annual cruise. The captain of the Vespucci, Captain Giuseppe Lai, received on board the Italian ambassador, Fabrizio Romano, the head of the Maltese armed forces, Clinton O'Neil, and the commander of the Italian permanent military mission in Malta, frigate captain Alessandro Rinaldi, accompanied by the mayors of Valletta and Floriana, two of the cities overlooking the large bay surrounding the Maltese capital. The Maltese government has also proclaimed national mourning for today, in addition to the day on Tuesday. In the country, all flags are flown at half-mast, and many private individuals have decided to display flags of the Vatican on the balconies of their houses.

L’Amerigo Vespucci della Marina Militare italiana

Il veliero della Marina militare, “Amerigo Vespucci”. (ANSA/Andrea Modica)

Peace flags also appeared at the Pope's funeral in St Peter's Square where the powerful of the earth and many ordinary people gathered. In his funeral homily, Cardinal Dean Re recalled the Pontiff's unceasing appeals for peace: "Faced with the raging of so many wars in recent years, with inhuman horrors and countless deaths and destruction, Pope Francis has unceasingly raised his voice imploring peace and inviting reasonableness, honest negotiation to find possible solutions, because war - he said - is only death of people, destruction of homes, hospitals and schools. War always leaves the world worse off than it was before'.

Julian Assange was also in St Peter's Square for the funeral of Pope Francis. The journalist, known for the events linked to Wikileaks, was spotted among the crowd of faithful who flocked to the Vatican City.

Julian Assange ai funerali di Bergoglio

Julian Assange ai funerali di Papa Francesco in Piazza San Pietro. (photo by Giusi Brega/LaPresse)

The outgoing German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, had a brief conversation with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of Pope Francis' funeral. German sources told Dpa that the conversation took place inside the basilica.

The funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square was also attended by former Prime Ministers Matteo Renzi, Paolo Gentiloni, Giuseppe Conte and Mario Draghi.

Also seated in the same row, on the parvis of the Basilica, are Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti, the former presidents of the Chamber of Deputies Luciano Violante, Fausto Bertinotti and Laura Boldrini, the mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri, the president of the Lazio Region Francesco Rocca, and the Pd senator Pierferdinando Casini.

The US delegation accompanying US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania will leave St. Peter's Square first at the end of Pope Bergoglio's funeral.

Concelebrating Pope Francis' funeral rite on the parvis of St. Peter's Basilica, presided over by the Dean of the College of Cardinals Giovanni Battista Re, are 220 cardinals and 750 bishops. Also present were about 4,000 priests from all over the world who then distributed communion to the many faithful present in the square.

I cardinali in piazza per l’ultimo saluto al Papa

I cardinali sul sagrato di San Pietro per i funerali di Papa Bergoglio. (ANSA/GIUSEPPE LAMI)

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Brief handshake between US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron during the ritual exchange of the sign of peace at the funeral of Pope Francis.

For the late Pope Francis, that the Prince of Shepherds, who always lives to intercede for us, may welcome him benignly into his kingdom of light and peace". The first prayer of the faithful read in French during the funeral Mass at the Vatican was dedicated to the late pontiff. Among the other prayers, six in all in French, Arabic, Portuguese, Polish, German and Chinese, there was also one "for the peoples of all nations: that, tirelessly practising justice, they may always be united in fraternal love and unceasingly seek the way of peace".

Il sagrato di Piazza San Pietro

Il sagrato di San Pietro durante i funerali (ANSA/ Paolo Giandotti)

After the meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, described as 'very productive' by White House communications director Steven Cheung, a new and more in-depth conversation after the funeral is not ruled out.

Il presidente Usa Trump e la moglie Melania ai funerali

Il presidente Usa Donald Trump e la first lady Melania ai funerali di Papa Bergoglio. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)

Applause during Cardinal Re's homily from the faithful who flocked to St. Mary Major Square. On several occasions the crowd accompanied the officiant's words, underlining the most significant passages of Pope Francis' actions recalled by the cardinal in his homily.

I fedeli davanti alla Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

La folla di fedeli davanti alla Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore durante i funerali del Papa. (Photo by Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP)

Brief conversation between US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen before the start of Pope Francis' funeral ceremony on St. Peter's parvis.

La presidente della Commissione Europea Von der Leyen

La presidente della Commissione Europea, Ursula Von der Leyen. REUTERS/Remo Casilli

"In spiritual union with all of Christendom we are here in great numbers to pray for Pope Francis so that God may receive him in the immensity of his love. Pope Francis used to conclude his speeches and personal meetings by saying: 'Do not forget to pray for me'. Now, dear Pope Francis, we ask You to pray for us and we ask that from heaven You bless the Church, bless Rome, bless the entire world, as You did last Sunday from the balcony of this Basilica in a final embrace with all of God's people, but ideally also with humanity that seeks the truth with a sincere heart and holds high the torch of hope". So said Cardinal Dean Giovanni Battista Re, amid applause from the faithful, at the end of his homily in the funeral Mass for Pope Francis.

From Rome, where he arrived on Friday to attend the funeral of Pope Francis tomorrow, Javier Milei reveals unpublished details of his meeting with the Pontiff in February 2024. According to the Argentine media, in a TV interview the Argentine president expressed regret for his fierce criticism of the Pope, but said he was able to apologise and recounted what Francis said to him: 'He told me they were mistakes of youth'. Milei had been engulfed in controversy after expressing his condolences for the Pope's death, with many X users reminding him of his phrases against the man he once called "the representative of evil on Earth". "Yes, of course I apologised. And he told me: 'Don't be angry, these are mistakes of youth'. If I remember correctly, he said: 'When we are young, we all do stupid things'," said Milei, recalling his meeting with the Pope on 12 February last year. In recent days, the president described Jorge Bergoglio as 'the most important Argentinean in history'.

Il presidente argentino Javier Milei

Il presidente argentino Javier Milei. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

"The guiding thread of the mission" of Pope Francis "has also been the conviction that the Church is a home for all; a home with doors that are always open. He has repeatedly resorted to the image of the Church as a 'field hospital' after a battle in which there have been many wounded; a Church eager to take care with determination of people's problems and of the great afflictions that lacerate the contemporary world; a Church capable of stooping over every man, beyond any creed or condition, healing his wounds". This is the portrait of Bergoglio made by Cardinal Dean Giovanni Battista Re in his funeral homily. Re recalled his "countless gestures and exhortations in favour of refugees and displaced persons. Also constant was his insistence on working in favour of the poor'.

"It is significant that Pope Francis' first trip was to Lampedusa," said Re to the applause of the Piazza, "an island symbolising the drama of emigration with thousands of people drowned at sea. In the same vein,' King recalled, summarising the meaning of his 47 apostolic journeys, 'was also the trip to Lesbos, together with the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Archbishop of Athens, as well as the celebration of a mass on the border between Mexico and the United States, on the occasion of his trip to Mexico'. Of his "47 tiring Apostolic Journeys," he said, "the one to Iraq in 2021, made in defiance of all risks, will remain in history in a special way. That difficult Apostolic Visit was a balm on the open wounds of the Iraqi people, who had suffered so much from the inhuman work of ISIS. This was also an important Journey for interreligious dialogue, another relevant dimension of his pastoral work. With the 2024 Apostolic Visit to four nations of Asia-Oceania, the Pope reached 'the most peripheral periphery of the world'".

A 'very productive' meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This is according to White House sources after the meeting on the occasion of Pope Bergoglio's funeral.

"When Cardinal Bergoglio, on 13 March 2013, was elected by the Conclave to succeed Pope Benedict XVI, he had behind him the years of religious life in the Society of Jesus and above all he was enriched by the experience of 21 years of pastoral ministry in the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, first as Auxiliary, then as Coadjutor and later, above all, as Archbishop. The decision to take the name Francis immediately appeared as the choice of a programme and style on which he wanted to base his Pontificate, seeking to be inspired by the spirit of St Francis of Assisi'. These were the words of Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, in his homily at the Mass of the funeral of Pope Francis currently taking place in St. Peter's Square.

Bergoglio, added Re, 'retained his temperament and pastoral leadership, and immediately gave the imprint of his strong personality in the governance of the Church, establishing direct contact with individuals and populations, eager to be close to everyone, with a marked attention to people in difficulty, spending himself without measure, especially for the last of the earth, the marginalised. He was a Pope in the midst of the people with an open heart towards all. He was also a Pope attentive to the new that was emerging in society and to what the Holy Spirit was stirring up in the Church'.

Vatican City, 26 April (askanews) - "In this majestic square of St Peter's, in which Pope Francis celebrated the Eucharist so many times and presided over great meetings during these 12 years, we are gathered in prayer around his mortal remains with a sad heart, but sustained by the certainties of faith, which assures us that human existence does not end in the tomb, but in the house of the Father in a life of happiness that will not know sunset". With these words the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Card. Giovanni Battista Re began his homily for the funeral rite of Pope Francis that is being held on the parvis of St. Peter's Basilica in front of tens of thousands of faithful.

L’omelia del cardinale Re

Il Decano del collegio cardinalizio, il cardinale Giovanni Battista Re. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)

US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen shook hands at St. Peter's before the start of the funeral ceremony for Pope Francis

On the altar in St. Peter's Square is a copy of the icon of the Salus Populi Romani, the same one from St. Mary Major. The copy that was chosen to accompany Pope Francis' funeral today is the same one that was placed in St. Peter's Square for the historic Statio Orbis on 27 March 2020, when Pope Francis, alone and in the rain, prayed in an empty St. Peter's Square to invoke the end of the Covid

La preghiera del Pontefice per la fine della pandemia nel 2020

La preghiera e la benedizione 'Urbi et Orbi' di Papa Francesco per chiedere la fine della pandemia nel 2020. (Italy Photo Press)

There were about 5,000 concelebrants at Pope Francis' funeral Mass presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. The cardinals present on the parvis of St. Peter's Square and concelebrating are 220.

La piazza gremita per le esequie di Bergoglio

Il sagrato di San Pietro dove si svolgono le esequie di Papa Francesco. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

Last-minute changes at the funeral of Pope Francis: US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania were given a front-row seat. To his right is the Finnish president and to his left the Estonian president. Next to the Estonian president King Felipe of Spain and next to the Finnish president Emanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte. Front row seat also for Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky, seated a little further away from Trump.

Il presidente Zelensky ai funerali di Bergoglio

Il presidente ucraino Zelensky. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Moments of emotional silence and applause alternate in St. Mary Major as soon as Pope Francis' coffin appears on the giant screens in the square. The faithful, gathered by the thousands behind the barriers, murmur prayers and chants, following the funeral rite in progress at St Peter's that is being screened live and ask the Red Cross and Civil Defence personnel - sometimes even the reporters - how long before they can see the Pope for his last farewell. They come from all over the world and from all over Italy, they have been here since early this morning, some even since dawn, and they will stay until the cortege arrives.

Laying the Gospel on Francis' coffin, bowing, were Mgr Diego Giovanni Ravelli, master of the papal liturgical celebrations, and the pontiff's private secretary, Argentinian priest Daniel Pellizzon.

Together with Meloni, her deputies and Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, and of Infrastructures, Matteo Salvini, the Undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council, Alfredo Mantovano. With the premier, the secretary general of Palazzo Chigi, Carlo Deodato, the diplomatic advisor, Fabrizio Saggio, and the head of the secretariat, Patrizia Scurti. Also present was the Secretary General of the Farnesina, Riccardo Guariglia.

L’arrivo della premier Meloni sul sagrato di San Pietro

La presidente del Consiglio Giorgia Meloni. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

There was much applause from the faithful in St. Peter's Square as Pope Francis' coffin was carried down the nave of the basilica to the parvis.

Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky met before Pope Francis' funeral, Vatican sources told Sky News. The two also agreed to meet later today after the funeral, the sources added.

Pope Francis' coffin is carried on the shoulders of the seditionaries outside St. Peter's Basilica. St. Peter's Square applauds.

The procession of cardinals preceding the arrival of Pope Francis' coffin in St. Peter's Basilica has begun.

Prince William arrived at St. Peter's for the funeral of Pope Francis. After him, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer entered the square.

A total of 150,000 people were present between St. Peter's Square and Via della Conciliazione, according to information from the centre for security management of large events in the Operations Room of the Rome Police Headquarters, which coordinates the impressive security machine. Present in the room are Quaestor Roberto Massucci and Chief of the Cabinet Giampaolo Monastra.

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived at St. Peter's to attend the funeral of Pope Francis. Inside the basilica, Macron, accompanied by his wife Brigitte, paid homage to the Pontiff's coffin.

President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, with his daughter Laura, pays homage to the Pope in the closed coffin, still in St. Peter's Basilica awaiting the funeral in the square.

Donald Trump and Melania in meditation before the coffin of Pope Francis. The US president and the first lady, dressed in black and with her head covered by a veil of the same colour, paid their respects to the pontiff who died on Monday, before the funeral began at St Peter's.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also arrived at St. Peter's to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, which will be celebrated by Cardinal Dean Giovanni Battista Re.

Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani arrived at St Peter's for the funeral of Pope Francis. Shortly afterwards, the other deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini also arrived in the parvis.

Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte arrived at the parvis of St. Peter's Basilica to attend the funeral of Pope Francis.

The three trade union leaders Maurizio Landini (CGIL), Daniela Fumarola (CISL) and Pierpaolo Bombardieri (UIL) are also in St Peter's Square together with all the Italian authorities for the funeral of Pope Francis. This is what is stated in a note issued by the unions.

Several ecumenical delegations are also expected at Pope Bergoglio's funeral, starting with that of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which is led by Patriarch Bartholomew, that of the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, by the Metropolitan of Libya, Gennadios. The Metropolitan of Mount Lebanon, Siluan, heads the delegation of the Greek-Orthodox Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, while the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem is represented by Makarios, Metropolitan of Quatar. The Moscow Patriarchate is present in the square, with Antonij, Metropolitan of Volokolamsk and President of the Department for External Ecclesiastical Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. Also present in the square are the Patriarchates of Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and Georgia.

Also represented were the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, Greece, Albania and the Czech lands and Slovakia, the American Orthodox Church, the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Ethiopian Tewahedo Orthodox Church, the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church, the Assyrian Church of the East. In St. Peter's Square then the delegation of the Anglican, Methodist and Lutheran Communion. Also present were the Waldensian Church, the World Baptist Alliance, the Ecumenical Council of Churches, the Global Christian Forum and the Salvation Army.

The motorcade accompanying US President Donald Trump left Villa Taverna, the US ambassador's residence in Rome, in the direction of St Peter's. The US president arrived on Friday evening with his wife Melania at Fiumicino airport.

"With about an hour to go before the start of the ceremony, St. Peter's Square is close to filling its capacity of 40,000. It is estimated that 140 thousand people are already present in Via Conciliazione and along the flowing streets. Thirty-one delegations have already entered the Vatican'. This was announced by the Event Security Management Centre at the Questura di Roma.

St Peter's Square, where the funeral of Pope Francis will begin at 10am, is starting to be packed with the faithful. The estimated attendance to attend the event exceeds 200,000. The faithful are also already crowding the approximately 6 km route that from the Vatican Basilica, crossing the city, will see the passage of Bergoglio's coffin towards Santa Maria Maggiore, where he will be buried. The first personalities to arrive in St. Peter's Square were former US President Joe Biden and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. The Russian delegation also arrived with Russian Minister of Culture Olga Borisovna Lyubimova. Numerous giant screens have been set up in the city, not only in the Via della Conciliazione area, but also in Piazza Pia and Piazza del Risorgimento.

An hour before the start of Pope Francis' funeral, St Peter's Square is already packed. Thousands of people are still queuing along the access roads to the square where giant screens are installed.

In Via della Conciliazione, the street that connects St. Peter's Square to the Lungotevere, the young people of the Youth Jubilee are the protagonists. They come from all over the world, and from many cities in Italy. They can be recognised by their coloured caps, their passes with the giant photo of Pope Francis. They sat on the side steps of Via della Conciliazioni, some, like the French, brought a shopping bag full of groceries, bread, ham and biscuits. Others are from Munich, as their flags indicate. A group also came from Brazil and the United States. Looking at St. Peter's Square, the right-hand side of Via della Conciliazione, where the four big screens have been placed to allow people to follow the celebration of the Mass, is now packed and the faithful are crowded together. The left side of the street, where the police and the Civil Defence are directing the faithful, is still free.

Cardinal Camillo Ruini, former president of the Italian Bishops' Conference, is among the first cardinals to arrive in St Peter's Square for the funeral of Pope Francis. Ninety-four years old, the cardinal from Sassuolo, arrived in a wheelchair, but is still considered a lucid and authoritative mind in the church, not only in Italy.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres arrived at St. Peter's for the funeral of Pope Francis. The UN delegation, after walking along Via della Stazione Vaticana, passed through the Perugino entrance reserved for the authorities.

"Rome is full of people, but for me it is empty. Because you are not here, Francesco. Father, friend, brother'. This is the memory of Sister Lucia Caram, an Argentinean nun who lives in Spain and who in recent years has become known for her battles, especially in favour of migrants. She had a friendly relationship with the Pope to whom she had also given the Gospel of a dead Ukrainian soldier. The Pope had recalled him during a general audience reiterating one of his hundreds of appeals for peace. "I seek you among the ancient stones, among the murmurs of this eternal city, and even though I know that you live, that you have risen, your absence grieves me. I have always told you: I will sustain you until death. And today I repeat it to you, with a soul full of gratitude and hope: now that you are risen, I will support you,' the nun adds, thinking of the Pope.

Maximum security alert in the Vatican for the funeral of Pope Francis: snipers placed on the buildings around St. Peter's Square, large numbers of police in the field. Drones and helicopters fly overhead. The entire area around the Vatican has been closed to traffic.

PD secretary Elly Schlein arrived at St Peter's for the funeral of Pope Francis with the party's leader in the Chamber of Deputies Chiara Braga. The PD secretary, dressed in black, walked along Via della Stazione Vaticana and passed through the Perugino entrance reserved for the authorities.

Former US President Joe Biden has just left his hotel and is on his way to St. Peter's Square to attend the funeral of Pope Francis. This was announced by the Rome Police Headquarters, which, from the Operations Room in Via Genova, is following all the coordination operations with the other police forces.

There are five big screens set up in St Peter's Square: two under the parvis, two more on either side of the colonnade, and one before Via della Conciliazione. Chants echo from the speakers as the sun begins to warm the square and the faithful continue to arrive.

Less than two hours before the start of Pope Francis' funeral in St Peter's Square, the influx of faithful continues unabated. On Via della Conciliazione two wings of the crowd advance towards the square, nuns, priests, scouts, faithful from all over the world as witnessed by the flags they carry, Brazil, Albania, Spain, Argentina. "Like the Pope, we too come from the end of the world," says an Argentine woman. Thousands of the faithful have already passed through the access gates to the area with metal detectors where the police check backpacks and bags since this morning. Also providing assistance were the many volunteers employed along the route. Four big screens were set up along Via della Conciliazione, and another two in Piazza Pia, to allow everyone to follow the funeral of Pope Francis.

More than 160 official delegations confirmed up to last night will attend the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square this morning at 10.00 am. They will all sit on the Vatican parvis, to the right of the altar, looking at the façade of the basilica. In the place of honour there will be the delegation from the Pontiff's native country, Argentina, led by the President of the Republic Javier Milei, with his sister Karina as Secretary General of the Presidency. Then there will be the Italian delegation, led by President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella together with his daughter Laura and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni: the delegation will also include, among others, Senate President Ignazio La Russa, Chamber of Deputies President Lorenzo Fontana, Constitutional Court President Giovanni Amoroso, Council Vice Presidents Antonio Tajani and Matteo Salvini, Undersecretary to the Prime Minister Alfredo Mantovano, and Ambassador to the Holy See Francesco Di Nitto.

The order of the seating on the parvis will then include the reigning sovereigns in alphabetical order of the country (but in French), including those of Belgium King Philip with Queen Mathilde, of Denmark Queen Mary, of Spain King Felipe VI with Queen Letizia, of Jordan King Abdullah II accompanied by Rania, of Monaco Prince Albert with his consort Charlene, of Sweden King Charles Gustaf with Queen Silvia. As for the heads of state, they will be seated in French alphabetical order of the country. Among those present will be Germany's Frank-Walter Steinmeier with Chancellor Olaf Scholz; Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva; the US's Donald Trump with consort Melania; France's Emmanuel Macron with consort Brigitte; Hungary's Tamas Sulyok with Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Also expected is Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelensky with his wife Olena, who arrived in Rome a short while ago. For the European Union there will be European Council President Antonio Costa, Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Callas, and Europarliament President Roberta Metsola. For the UN there will be Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. China will be represented by Vice President Chen Chin-Jen. The Russian Federation by the Minister of Culture, Olga Borisovna Lyubimova. Israel by Ambassador to the Holy See Yaron Sideman. Palestine (which is recognised by the Holy See) by Prime Minister Mohamed Mustafa.

'Last farewell'. Thus the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, on X posting a photo in which she is seen greeting Pope Francis during a meeting with the Pontiff. A farewell message that Metsola wrote on the day of Bergoglio's funeral in St Peter's Square.

There is also Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun, Archbishop Emeritus of Hong Kong, at the funeral of Pope Francis this morning at St. Peter's. The cardinal was arrested in 2022 and is now free on bail.

A group of young people from Germany wave flags with the face of Carlo Acutis on the left side of St Peter's Square. The young blessed was supposed to be canonised tomorrow but due to the death of the Pope the canonisation has been postponed. Helicopters and drones fly over the square to greet the young people, while the dome of the basilica until a few minutes ago was shrouded in a light mist, a scene that recalled for a few moments the funeral of Benedict XVI when thick fog covered the upper part of the facade for a few hours.

A bilateral meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump in Rome on the sidelines of Pope Francis' funeral is "possible". This was reported by a qualified source to the AFP news agency.

The delegations of the two leaders are reportedly in contact to assess the opportunity and modalities of a face-to-face meeting, although there is currently no official confirmation either from the White House or the Ukrainian president's office.