At least 50 heads of state and 10 reigning monarchs will attend the funeral of Pope Francis this Saturday, the Vatican confirmed.
The Pope’s coffin is lying in state in St Peter’s Basilica for a third day on Thursday, allowing Catholics from around the globe to pay their respects. By Wednesday night more than 61,000 people had filed past; thousands more are still queuing.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, will lead the Rite of Sealing of the coffin at 8 pm.Friday. The liturgy, attended by cardinals and Vatican officials, will be livestreamed on Vatican News.
Who’s coming
The Holy See says 130 foreign delegations have confirmed, including:
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US President Donald Trump
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UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
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Argentina President Javier Milei
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France President Emmanuel Macron
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Spain King Felipe VI & Queen Letizia
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Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
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Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky
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Poland President Andrzej Duda
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EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
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UN Secretary‑General António Guterres
Rome’s civil‑protection agency expects several hundred thousand visitors for the holiday weekend. Italian security services have barred drones over the city, and additional troops are on patrol.
Pope Francis died of complications from a stroke on April 20, 2025, at his Casa Santa Marta residence, less than a month after being discharged from the hospital for double pneumonia. He led the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics for 12 years, leaving what mourners call “a lasting legacy of humility and social justice.”
