Global Dignitaries and Mourners Gather in Rome for Pope Francis’ Funeral
An immense gathering of Catholic devotees, numerous heads of state, and interfaith religious leaders, alongside delegations from around the world, filled the streets of St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City on Saturday to pay their final respects to Pope Francis.
An estimated 200,000 individuals formed a massive gathering that extended from Vatican City into the streets of Rome.
Iran’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Seyyed Abbas Salehi, attended the funeral ceremony at the Vatican on behalf of the Islamic Republic.
The church’s choir resonated with hymns as the congregation began the final tribute to the revered “People’s Pope.”
The body of Pope Francis was placed in a simple wooden coffin beneath a modest headstone, which bore only his papal name in Latin, “Franciscus,” in line with his personal wishes.
The College of Cardinals, under the leadership of its Dean, Giovanni Battista, conducted the funeral ceremony.
The cardinal leading the funeral service stated in his homily that the late pontiff advocated for “reason and honest negotiation” as means to resolve global conflicts.
In response to the devastating conflicts of recent years, marked by severe atrocities, extensive fatalities, and widespread devastation, Pope Francis persistently advocated for peace, urging for rational discourse and sincere negotiation in the pursuit of viable resolutions, he stated.
Battista emphasized that Pope Francis is motivated by the belief that the Church should serve as a welcoming sanctuary for everyone, with its doors perpetually open. The vision is of a Church that humbly reaches out to every individual, irrespective of their faith or circumstances, offering solace and healing.
On Wednesday, April 23, the body of the Pope was transported from Casa Santa Marta, his Vatican residence, to St. Peter’s Basilica, where it will be available for public viewing.
On Saturday, the coffin of the late pope was transferred from St. Peter’s Basilica to St. Peter’s Square.
Over 250,000 well-wishers and mourners visited to pay their respects, with visitation hours running from Wednesday through Friday, April 25.
The Argentine pontiff passed away at the age of 88, the day following Easter.
Following the funeral service held in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Pope Francis’s coffin is set to be transported over a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) route to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, where he will be laid to rest.
