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The Vatican is making final preparations for the funeral of Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88 following a stroke. Over 150,000 mourners have already paid their respects as his body lay in state in St Peter’s Basilica, and up to 200,000 pilgrims are expected to attend Saturday’s funeral, according to a report published in The Guardian on Friday.
The basilica closed briefly in the early hours of Friday and reopened by 5:30 a.m. to accommodate the final wave of visitors, the report said. It is scheduled to close again at 7 p.m., with Francis’s coffin to be sealed at 8 p.m. in a private ceremony led by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo overseeing the Vatican’s operations until a new pope is elected.
Dignitaries Begin to Arrive
Leaders from across the globe are descending upon Rome, including 50 heads of state and 10 monarchs. Donald Trump and Melania Trump are expected to land at Fiumicino Airport at 10:50 p.m. local time aboard Air Force One. A spokesperson confirmed to the publication that Joe Biden—who met Pope Francis during the G7 summit in Italy last June—will also attend.
Among the 130 foreign delegations are Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Argentina’s President Javier Milei, and the Prince of Wales. Seating arrangement at the funeral will reflect diplomatic hierarchy: Argentina’s leaders will sit in the front row, Italian officials in the second, and other heads of state and royals in the third, The Guardian reported.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shared his condolences, posting on X, “The State of Israel expresses its deepest condolences to the Catholic church and the Catholic community worldwide at the passing of Pope Francis. May he rest in peace.”
Though Israel will not send a senior official, its ambassador in Rome will be present, the report said.
Security on High Alert
The funeral marks one of the most significant Vatican events in decades, triggering an extensive security operation across Rome and Vatican City. According to the report, thousands of Italian police, military personnel, and the Vatican’s Swiss Guards are involved. Anti-drone weapons, rooftop snipers, and fighter jets are on standby as part of heightened protocols.
The funeral mass will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday in St Peter’s Square, led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals. Pope Francis’s wooden coffin will then be transported by motorcade to Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, about 2.5 miles away.
The private burial ceremony, attended by Francis’s relatives, will follow. He will be interred in an undecorated grave marked by just one word: Franciscus
Public visits to the tomb will begin Sunday morning.
