Vatican City witnessed a deeply emotional farewell on April 26, 2025, as mourners from across the globe gathered to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, a pontiff whose legacy of humility, compassion, and reform forever changed the Catholic Church.
Over 400,000 people—including 61 heads of state, royalty, and religious leaders—flocked to St. Peter’s Square for the historic funeral. The atmosphere was a solemn but powerful reflection of Francis’ decades-long commitment to the marginalized, the environment, and the call for peace.
Led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the funeral mass captured the essence of a leader who never distanced himself from his people. “Francis was a pope among the people,” one mourner noted, summing up the emotions of the day.
High-profile figures such as U.S. President Donald Trump, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Prince William were among those present, standing shoulder to shoulder with everyday believers who had traveled from around the world.
The choice of final resting place was just as telling of Francis’ spirit. Breaking with long-standing tradition, he had requested to be buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore instead of the traditional papal tombs.
His simple tomb, marked merely with “Franciscus,” reflected the humility that characterized his life and papacy.
As the adapted Popemobile carried his wooden coffin through the streets, thousands lined the way, many of them migrants and poor communities he had so passionately championed during his reign. In his final act of service, Francis continued to center the very people he had spent his life lifting up.
Scottish First Minister John Swinney, who was among the official UK delegation, described the funeral as “very moving” and a true testament to Francis’ unwavering dedication to justice and the planet.
