World leaders, mourners bid farewell to Pope Francis

In a deeply emotional ceremony, world leaders, royalty, and thousands of mourners gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday to say their final goodbyes to Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke.

The funeral service marked the end of a 12-year papacy that reshaped the Catholic Church with its focus on the marginalized, migrants, and environmental issues.

The funeral Mass was led by Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who highlighted the pontiff’s legacy of empathy for the downtrodden and his tireless advocacy for social and environmental causes. “Pope Francis truly shared the anxieties, sufferings, and hopes of this time,” Cardinal Re said during the service.

A defining moment of the funeral was the presence of US President Donald Trump, who had clashed with the pope on key issues, sitting beside the coffin. Other dignitaries included the presidents of Argentina, France, Gabon, Germany, the Philippines, and Poland, as well as the prime ministers of Britain and New Zealand, and several royals, including the King and Queen of Spain. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who received applause from the crowd, was also in attendance, signaling the international recognition of Pope Francis’ impact.

Pope Francis’ funeral broke with several longstanding traditions. In line with his papacy’s emphasis on simplicity, his coffin was a plain wooden zinc-lined box, sealed overnight, and he chose to be buried outside the Vatican in Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major, making him the first pope in more than a century to do so. His tomb is marked only by the name “Franciscus” in Latin and a simple iron cross, reflecting his personal preference for humility.

The ceremony featured Latin hymns and prayers in Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, and Arabic, symbolizing the global reach of the Roman Catholic Church and the pope’s deep connection with people of all nations. Over 200,000 people gathered in the square to honor him, with many pilgrims waiting for hours to secure spots at the front.

A key theme of the day was the call to continue Pope Francis’ work. In his homily, Cardinal Re emphasized that the pope’s compassion and focus on climate change, migration, and the poor should not end with his death. Pope Francis’ progressive vision for the Church and his efforts to challenge both wealth inequality and the global refugee crisis will be key issues for his successor to address.

The transition period, now underway, will likely see the election of a new pope in the coming weeks. The conclave, responsible for selecting the next leader of the Catholic Church, is expected to begin after May 6, as cardinals assess the current state of the Church, including its financial difficulties and ideological divisions.

The city of Rome, under one of the largest security operations in years, saw airspace closed and extra police forces deployed to ensure the safety of dignitaries and the public. The funeral procession will take Pope Francis through the streets of Rome for a final farewell from the city’s residents.

As the world reflects on Pope Francis’ extraordinary life, the focus now shifts to the selection of his successor and the future direction of the Church he so deeply transformed.