WEB DESK: The Vatican is set to finalize arrangements for Pope Francis’s funeral at 10:00 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET) Saturday, April 26, as the last wave of mourners passes through St. Peter’s Basilica to pay their respects to the late pontiff, whose open coffin has drawn huge crowds.
Attending the funeral in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday will be around 50 heads of state and 10 monarchs, including notable figures such as, U.S. President Donald Trump and Melania Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, all expected to arrive in Rome on Friday.
King Charles III’s eldest son, Prince William, is confirmed to attend Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome, according to a statement from Kensington Palace. William will be representing his father.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will also be representing the United Kingdom at the service, as confirmed by a spokesperson.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has reportedly cancelled a visit to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in order to attend Saturday’s funeral.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres paid his respects to the late Pope after his passing, and is expected to be in attendance at the funeral in Rome, according to Reuters.
In preparation for the event, Italian and Vatican authorities have implemented stringent security measures around St. Peter’s, including the deployment of snipers on rooftops and maintaining fighter jets on standby, while restricting drone access in the vicinity.
Over the past few days, tens of thousands of people have lined up for hours to express their final farewells to Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88 just weeks after a hospitalization due to severe pneumonia. His coffin will be sealed at 8 PM local time during a ceremony led by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo currently overseeing Vatican operations until the election of a new pope.
A total of 130 foreign delegations are anticipated to attend the funeral, including Argentina’s President Javier Milei and Britain’s Prince William. To ensure the safety of attendees, a no-fly zone will be enacted.
Pope Francis’s coffin has been displayed before the altar at St. Peter’s for three days, with him adorned in traditional papal vestments—a red chasuble, a white mitre, and black shoes.
Following the funeral, the coffin will be transported at a slow pace to be laid to rest in his favored location, Rome’s papal basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where he will be buried in a simple grave marked only by the name “Franciscus.” The tomb will be open for visitation starting Sunday morning.
