Some 250,000 people paid their respects before his coffin during its three days of lying in state at St Peter’s Basilica, and huge numbers gathered from dawn on Friday to attend his final send-off.
US President Donald Trump paid his respects to Pope Francis at his coffin after arriving at the Vatican on Saturday for the pontiff’s funeral.
US President Donald Trump (C) and First Lady Melania Trump (C/R) stand alongside leaders as they watch the arrival of the coffin while they attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025.
Official Vatican images showed Trump and his wife, Melania, stopping by the closed coffin in St Peter’s Basilica after his motorcade had arrived at the Vatican.
Nuns react before late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square in The Vatican on April 26, 2025.
Cardinals walk to take their places ahead of the late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square at The Vatican on April 26, 2025.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Rome Saturday to attend Pope Francis’s funeral, his spokesman said.
“Volodymyr Zelensky, First Lady Olena Zelenska … will take part in the ceremony,” Sergiy Nykyforov said. Zelensky had said on Friday he was not sure if he would have the time to go to Rome for the funeral.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky (C) and his wife Olena Zelenska (L) stand alongside other leaders including India’s President.
Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Germany’s outgoing chancellor Olaf Scholz, were also seen arriving for late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square in the Vatican.