Thousands pay respects, bid farewell to Pope Francis at funeral service

VATICAN CITY (AP) — World dignitaries and Catholic faithful attended Pope Francis’ funeral in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday.

Despite the presence of presidents and princes, prisoners and migrants ushered him into the basilica where he will be buried, reflecting his priorities as pope, as hundreds of thousands flocked to the funeral Mass.

U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, the U.N. chief and European Union leaders, as well as Prince William and the Spanish royal family, were among those in attendance.

Francis is breaking with recent tradition and will be buried in the St. Mary Major Basilica, where a simple underground tomb awaits him with just his name: Franciscus.

Here is the latest:

Tens of thousands attend Mass for Francis in East Timor

Tens of thousands of mourners attended the funeral Mass for Francis at a seaside park near East Timor’s capital of Dili.

Francis made a historic visit to the overwhelmingly Catholic Southeast Asian country in September 2024, drawing over 600,000 people at the main event.

A migrant at the basilica says Francis understood their plight

One of the migrants who met Pope Francis’ coffin at his place of burial said that Francis understood the difficulties faced by people who left their native countries.

Annamaria Martinez of Venezuela said “Francis always looked at the best part of every person.‘’ She burst into tears as she said, “He was unique and I’m so sad now.‘’

The 53-year-old said she hoped that Francis’ good work would continue. She was among 40 migrants, prisoners, homeless and transgender people organized by the Sant’Egidio and Caritas charities to meet the pope’s coffin to underline the care he took for the marginalized.

Francis’ coffin is inside St. Mary Major Basilica

Pope Francis’ coffin was met by bishops and top cardinals in St. Mary Major Basilica, where he will be buried in a private ceremony later Saturday.

Pallbearers paused before the icon of the Madonna that Francis revered in a final salute, and four children lay white roses at the altar of the chapel that contains the icon. The pallbearers then continued with the coffin toward the niche where Francis will be buried beneath a simple tombstone bearing his name in Latin.

The Vatican media footage returned to the icon and then to the basilica’s exterior to allow the burial to proceed in private.

Francis will be buried in a private ceremony later Saturday

Pope Francis’ coffin has arrived at St. Mary Major Basilica, where he will be buried in a private ceremony later Saturday.

It was met by about 40 migrants, prisoners, homeless and transgender people each holding a white rose. Their inclusion was emblematic of his care for the marginalized. Francis is the first pope to be buried outside of the Vatican in 100 years.

More people turn out in Rome to watch the motorcade

The motorcade for the pope’s coffin is continuing through Rome’s historic center, where the crowds have thickened.

People were on the steps of the Tomb of the Unknown soldier to catch a glimpse of the papal coffin. It continued past the ancient Roman Forum and Colosseum, to applause and shouts of “Il Papa!” (the pope).

The motorcade with the coffin is making its way across Rome

Crowds applauded and yelled “Papa Francesco!” as a slow-moving motorcade escorting the pope’s coffin to his final resting place left the Vatican to make its way across Rome.

The coffin was visible from atop a modified popemobile. There was more clapping and church bells rang out as the popemobile emerged from a tunnel and crossed the Tiber River.

The popemobile was flanked by police on motorcycles.

Pope Francis’ coffin leaves the Vatican en route to his burial place in St. Mary Major Basilica

The coffin is being carried on the back of a popemobile modified so mourners lining streets can view it. The 6-kilometer (3.5-mile) route crosses the Tiber River and passes Italy’s monumental Tomb of the Unknown soldier, the ancient Roman Forum and the Colosseum before reaching the basilica.

The coffin will be met by about 40 migrants, prisoners, and homeless and transgender people, reflecting the pontiff’s care for people who are marginalized.

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Funeral Mass ends

Pope Francis’ funeral Mass has ended, and cardinals have filed back into St. Peter’s Basilica.

The crowd applauded as white-gloved pallbearers lifted the pope’s coffin to bring it back inside the basilica. From there, it will be moved to the popemobile to make its way across Rome to Francis’ burial place in St. Mary Major.

Meditative chant is sung at funeral Mass

A litany of saints was sung out during the funeral Mass for Pope Francis, a meditative chant that is part of the traditional rites.

It was followed by a blessing from Eastern rite Catholic churches chanted in Greek by patriarchs and priests. The pages of the New Testament placed atop the coffin fluttered in the wind as Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re blessed the coffin with incense and holy water.

UK’s Prince William pays his respects

The prince attended the funeral on behalf of his father, King Charles III.

He stood side by side with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for a moment’s silence in front of Pope Francis’s sealed coffin.

William, dressed in a dark blue suit and black tie, walked through the ornate basilica and down the steps into St. Peter’s Square, before shaking hands with a member of the clergy and being guided to his seat.

He is carrying out his most significant duty so far as heir to the throne. It is the first time the prince has represented the monarch at an international funeral.

Francis is remembered as a ‘pope among the people’ in his funeral Mass

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re eulogized Pope Francis on Saturday as a pope of the people, a paster who knew how to communicate to the “least among us” with an informal, spontaneous style.

Re called Francis “a pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone.”

He recalled the last image many people have of Francis was of him delivering what would become his final blessing on Easter Sunday, and saluting from the popemobile in the same piazza where his funeral was being celebrated.

Vatican says about 200,000 people have flocked to Pope Francis’ funeral Mass

The brief statement did not specify if that was in St. Peter’s Square alone.

Mourners were lined up along Via della Conciliazione, which leads up to the Vatican, and followed the Mass on big screens in public squares in Rome, including outside the Santa Maria Major Basilica.

Trump and Zelenskyy meet before the service

That’s according to Zelenskyy’s press office.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung confirmed the meeting and said they “met privately today and had a very productive discussion.”

“More details about the meeting will follow,” he said.

Shortly after arriving in Rome last Friday, Trump said on social media that Ukraine and Russia should meet for “very high-level talks” on ending the three-year war sparked by Russia’s invasion. His envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier Friday, and Trump said both sides were “very close to a deal.”

Pope Francis’ funeral Mass begins in a packed St. Peter’s Square

Tens of thousands flocked to the funeral, which Francis choreographed himself when he revised and simplified the Vatican’s rites and rituals last year.

Pallbearers carry Pope Francis’ simple wooden coffin

They carried the coffin, adorned with just a crucifix and Francis’ coat of arms, down the central aisle of St. Peter’s Basilica and out into the square at the start of his funeral.

Red-robbed cardinals lined the path and followed behind as the crowd in the square erupted in applause in a sign of respect.

Cardinals flank pope’s coffin

Cardinals in rich red robes formed a double line in St. Peter’s Basilica, flanking the coffin as it was carried into the square for the funeral Mass. Pallbearers lifted the coffin to applause from the square.

Trump takes his seat for the funeral

Trump, in a blue suit, and his wife, Melania, were escorted out of St. Peter’s Basilica to their seats for the service.

He was followed afterward by Zelenskyy, who was greeted with a burst of applause from the audience.

Giant photographs of Carlo Acutis seen in St. Peter’s Square

Acutis was supposed to have been canonized on Sunday as the Catholic Church’s first millennial saint.

The Vatican suspended the ceremony after Pope Francis died, but many people who had made plans to be in Rome for the canonization came anyway to attend the funeral. Announcers asked all flags and banners be lowered as the funeral was getting underway.

Bells toll to signal the start of the procession

Francis’ coffin will be brought from St. Peter’s Basilica to the front of the altar in the square.

Mourners were instructed to refrain from waving flags or banners during the procession.

Mourners are led in rosary prayer as dignitaries take their seats at Pope Francis’ funeral

World leaders and royalty sat to the right of the main altar.

EU Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and Argentine President Javier Milei have all made their way to their seating.

The Argentine and Italian leaders have a place of pride in the seating order.

Trump arrives at funeral to pay respects to Pope Francis

The U.S. president clashed with the pope on immigration, climate and other issues.

Donald Trump arrived with his wife, Melania. He is among more than 50 heads of state and other dignitaries attending the funeral of Pope Francis.

Mourners remember Pope Francis

They spoke of the pontiff in emotional terms while lining up along Via della Conciliazione for Pope Francis’ funeral in St. Peter’s Square.

Miguel Vaca, a pilgrim from Peru, lined up at 7 a.m.

“He was a very charismatic pope, very human, very kind, above all very human,‘’ Vaca said.

Italian pilgrim Pasquale Vezza made his way to the square with his family. He said the pope “was a bit like everyone’s grandfather.”

“Now we hope that there will be a continuation, especially of his message of peace,” Vezza said.

Ukrainian president arrives in Rome for papal funeral

Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s press office confirmed his arrival, joining the first lady Olena Zelenska, who preceded him.

Zelenskyy’s presence was put in doubt after a recent missile attack.

Pope’s coffin will be placed on the back of a popemobile used on a Philippines trip

The pope will get one more ride past the faithful on one of his beloved popemobiles.

The Vatican says for Saturday’s burial procession, his coffin will be placed on the back of a popemobile used during his 2015 trip to the Philippines.

The vehicle has been modified so the coffin will be visible to mourners along the nearly 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) route from St. Peter’s Basilica to his place of burial.

The pope reveled in being driven through crowds of faithful whether in St. Peter’s Square or on one of his many foreign trips.

A Calabria parish group camped out all night to get a good spot

The 13 spent the night in a nearby square. They were already coming to Rome for the planned canonization of the first millennial saint on Sunday, which was suspended by Francis’ death. Instead, they drove up a day early for his funeral.

“The Lord wanted it this way, so we came all the same,‘’ said Sandra De Felice of Anoia in the Calabria region. “For me, this is a sign that we need to be truly humble and charitable. Otherwise, we are nothing.”

Mourners race to find a spot in St Peter’s Square

Ordinary mourners streamed Saturday to get a spot in standing room near the rear of the square surrounding the ancient obelisk, behind VIP seating. The area to the left of the main altar, up the basilica steps, is reserved for celebrants and Catholic hierarchy, while world leaders and royalty will be seated on the right.

Many ran toward the square as barricades opened. Some carried banners for the Jubilee Holy Year that Francis opened in December and will continue despite his death Monday following a stroke.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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