Pope Francis’s coffin departed the Vatican aboard a white popemobile on Saturday, following a moving funeral ceremony held at St Peter’s Square.
Thousands gathered along the route, offering prayers and final tributes as the cortege made its way to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where the late pontiff will be laid to rest.
St Peter’s Square saw tens of thousands of mourners on Saturday, paying homage to the Catholic Church’s first Latin American pope and a lifelong advocate for the poor.
Many faithful had queued overnight to secure a place at the funeral, which drew dignitaries from across the world, including US President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, alongside royals and senior clergy in their traditional red vestments.
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The Argentine-born pontiff, who passed away on Monday aged 88, spent 12 years leading efforts to steer the Catholic Church towards greater inclusivity.
During three days of lying in state at St Peter’s Basilica, around 250,000 people filed past his coffin to pay their respects. By Friday morning, crowds had already begun gathering ahead of Saturday’s final mass.
Saturday’s funeral marks the beginning of nine days of official mourning within the Vatican.
After the mourning period, cardinals from around the world will assemble for a conclave to elect the next leader of the Church’s 1.4 billion followers.
Throughout his papacy, Francis’s efforts to address issues such as migration, climate change, and economic inequality sparked both admiration and opposition.
While some traditionalists resisted his reforms, many around the globe were drawn to his humility, compassion, and personal warmth.
Despite previous tensions over US immigration policies, President Trump arrived in Rome on Friday night with his wife, Melania, describing Francis as “a good man who loved the world.”
Trump’s trip, his first overseas journey of his second term, will also involve meetings with other global leaders.
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There is speculation over a possible meeting between Trump and Zelensky during their stay in Rome, although no confirmation has been provided.
Francis died of complications from a stroke and heart failure, shortly after being hospitalised for pneumonia earlier in the year.
Throughout his papacy, Francis remained deeply connected to the faithful, favouring spontaneous encounters, selfies with pilgrims, and frequent visits to the margins of society.
His final public act—a worldwide Easter blessing—was delivered just a day before his passing, a fitting reflection of his lifelong mission to uplift the vulnerable and the marginalised.
True to the spirit of his namesake, Saint Francis of Assisi, the Jesuit pope rejected traditional papal grandeur. He chose simple vestments, lived in the Vatican’s guesthouse instead of the Apostolic Palace, and asked to be buried not within the Vatican, but at his beloved Santa Maria Maggiore.
The funeral ceremony itself was a grand event, attended by 224 cardinals, 750 bishops and priests, and numerous international leaders.
Across the world, Catholic communities, including those in Francis’s native Buenos Aires, held vigils and public viewings to follow the proceedings live.
