Pope Francis’ funeral is taking place today [26 April] and many important figures from around the world, including Donald Trump and Prince William, will be paying their respects
Pope Francis’ funeral will be attended by a huge number of recognisable faces.
The religious leader died aged 88-years-old on 21 April and will be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome’s Esquilino neighbourhood. The ceremony will be closely watched by millions of people across the world as much of television’s regularly scheduled programming is replaced with coverage of the event.
A number of world leaders and members of royalty have travelled to Rome to attend the historical funeral. Prince William has arrived in place of King Charles, while US President Donald Trump, along with his wife Melania, and former President Joe Biden have flown over from America.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky will also be paying their respects.
Other notable figures include: Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella, Dominican Republic’s President Luis Abinader, Belgium King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Croatia’s President Zoran Milanovic and Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa.
Ireland’s Taoiseach, which means prime minister, Micheál Martin will be attending along with Moldova’s President Maia Sandu, Latvia’s President Edgars Rinkevics, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, Queen Mary of Denmark, China’s Vice President Chen Chin-Jen, Jordan King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, Monaco Prince Albert and Princess Charlene, and Hungary’s President Tamas Sulyok along with the country’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
The funeral service’s layout places dignitaries on the right of the square, while cardinals and bishops are placed on the left. Pope Francis’ coffin takes centre stage in front of St Peter’s Basilica, while other clergy and the general public are located lower down.
Since Wednesday, 130,000 people have visited his coffin to pay their respects.
The Pope will be buried in a simple wooden coffin lined with zinc as he was set on breaking traditions – papal funerals usually use three coffins.
The Pope is laid to rest in a coffin of cypress wood, then lead, then oak. However, Pope Francis wanted to be “laid out and buried like any son or daughter of the church”.
He once explained: “With dignity, but not on cushions. In my opinion the ritual was too ornate.”
Pope Francis will also break tradition with his place of burial. His final resting place is in Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome’s Esquilino neighbourhood, which is not in the Vatican.
Previous Popes are all buried in a grotto under St Peter’s Basilica.
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