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THE FUNERAL OF the late Pope Francis will take place this morning at St. Peter’s Square as world leaders, royals and worshippers descend on Vatican City to pay their respects.
It is expected that 50 heads of state and 10 reigning monarchs will be among thousands of others in attendance as the 88-year-old Argentine pontiff will be laid to rest in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome after 12 years as head of the Catholic Church.
Thronging crowds of mourners filed into St. Peter’s Basilica this week where the pontiff has been lying in state. The doors of the venue were left open until 5:30am on Thursday morning due to unprecedented numbers.
Francis was famed for his tendency to break from church norms established and nurtured by the 265 popes who preceded him.
He shifted the Church’s focus from opposing practices such as abortion and same-sex marriage to instead engaging in advocacy for climate change action, immigration and LGBTQ causes.
He simplified papal funeral service procedures last year, meaning today’s ceremony will not follow the tradition of having three different coffins placed inside one another, instead opting for a wooden coffin lined with zinc.
Here is a list of the notable figures attending the ceremony.
The trio are representing Ireland at the funeral of the late pontiff, along with Higgins’ wife Sabina.
Higgins received Francis at Áras and Uachtaráin in 2018 during his state visit to Ireland. He said this week that he was “struck by the generosity” of the pontiff and said his attendance at the funeral will be in an effort to promote “our shared humanity” in the areas of peace and sustainability.
The Taoiseach described Pope Francis as an “exceptional leader” who has “a special place in the hearts” of Irish people, while the Tánaiste remembered him as a “beacon of hope” and a “voice for the voiceless”.
The Government has confirmed that flags will be flown at half-mast today across all public buildings out of respect to Pope Francis.
Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill has cut short a family holiday to make herself available for the papal service.
In a week that began with Francis meeting briefly with US Vice-President JD Vance on Easter Sunday at the Vatican, President Trump will attend the late pontiff’s funeral as head of the American delegation commemorating him.
Relations between the Vatican and both iterations of the Trump administration have been chilly at best, with the Pope often finding himself and his leadership morals at odds with his American counterpart.
During the 2016 US Presidential campaign, Pope Francis was vocal in his opposition to Trump’s proposal to build a wall across America’s southern border with Mexico, declaring that anyone who wishes to build walls rather than bridges is “not a Christian”, a comment which Trump described as “disgraceful”.
The pontiff also stood firmly against the current US administration’s policy proposals to cut humanitarian aid to the world’s poorest people, in addition to its plans to carry out mass deportations. With this, he noted that in the Bible, baby Jesus and his family were themselves refugees in Egypt.
The Ukrainian President paid tribute to Pope Francis this week, posting on X: “His life was devoted to God, to people, and to the Church. He knew how to give hope, ease suffering through prayer, and foster unity. He prayed for peace in Ukraine and for Ukrainians.”
Following an October meeting with Zelensky, Francis wrote on X: ”All nations have the right to exist in peace and security. Their territories must not be attacked, and their sovereignty must be respected and guaranteed through peace and dialogue.”
The seating plan for the event has Zelensky and Trump seated separately in light of February’s infamous White House spat, according to reports.
Starmer praised Francis’ “humility” in advocating for “the poor, the downtrodden and the forgotten”.
In a statement released by Downing Street, he said of Francis: “He was close to the realities of human fragility, meeting Christians around the world facing war, famine, persecution and poverty. Yet he never lost hope of a better world.
“That hope was as the heart of his papacy. His determination to visibly live out his faith inspired people across the world to see afresh the church’s teachings of mercy and charity.”
The Prince of Wales has travelled to the service as a representative of his father, King Charles, as per custom.
For the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005, the King – when he was Prince of Wales – attended on behalf of his mother and Queen Elizabeth II.
Francis and Macron had clashed over efforts by the French President to enshrine abortion rights in the French constitution.
Separately, Francis did not attend the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris last December after being closed due to sever fire damage in 2019, prompting suspicions of a snub.
The day after the Pope’s passing, Macron wrote on X: “From Buenos Aires to Rome, Pope Francis wanted the Church to bring joy and hope to the poorest. To unite people with one another and with nature. May this hope be reborn endlessly beyond him.”
Von der Leyen commended Pope Francis’ “love for the less fortunate” and said his legacy will lead to a “more just, peaceful and compassionate world”.
A devout Catholic, the former US President is in the Vatican to take part in the celebrations of Pope Francis’ life and legacy.
Describing him as “one of the most consequential leaders of our time”, Biden praised Pope Francis’ work for peace and the environment in a troubled world.
In a statement, Biden said: “He commanded us to fight for peace and protect our planet from a climate crisis. He advocated for the voiceless and powerless. He made all feel welcome and seen by the Church.”
Among the attendees are prominent representatives of global organisations and governments including UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella, Brazil’s President Lula d a Silva and President of Pope Francis’ homeland of Argentina, Javier Milei.
Some figures who are not present for today’s events at the Vatican include Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has instead opted to send culture minister Olga Lyubimova as his nation’s representative.
A spokesperson for Barack Obama confirmed that the former US President has no plans to attend.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not travelled to Rome, instead sending the country’s ambassador to the Vatican Yaron Sideman. This could potentially be due to recent tensions between Pope Francis and the Israeli Government in light of events in Gaza, after the late Pontiff allegedly used the word “genocide” in 2023 – a claim the Vatican denied – to describe what is happening in the besieged Palestinian enclave.
Today’s funeral service starts at 9am.
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