President Murmu, Trump, and Zelensky among 50 heads of state attending Saturday's ceremony at St. Peter's Square
Vatican City: Global dignitaries have begun arriving in Rome for Pope Francis's funeral scheduled for Saturday, April 26, at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican. The solemn occasion has drawn an impressive assembly of world leaders, with 130 delegations confirmed, including 50 heads of state and 10 reigning monarchs.
President Droupadi Murmu will represent India at the historic event, joining other prominent leaders such as US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, is expected to arrive Friday after Pope Francis's coffin is sealed.
The funeral has attracted royalty from across Europe, including King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Denmark's Queen Mary, Monaco's Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene, and Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. Prince William will represent the United Kingdom in place of King Charles III.
European political leaders attending include EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, French President Emmanuel Macron, and outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Friday marks the final day Pope Francis's body will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica before his coffin is sealed in preparation for Saturday's funeral. Leaders began arriving on Friday, including Argentine President Javier Milei, representing Pope Francis's home country.
In a touching reflection of Pope Francis's lifelong commitment to the marginalized, the Vatican announced that a group of poor and needy individuals will pay their respects to the pope's coffin when it arrives at St. Mary Major Basilica for burial following the funeral.
"We are getting ready, but we still have not entered into the more intense phase. We are in the organizational phase," said Italian Cardinal Fernando Filoni on Thursday, as preparations continued.
The pope's tomb is being prepared behind a wooden partition within St. Mary Major Basilica, chosen by Francis to be close to an icon of the Madonna that he greatly admired and often prayed to. The Vatican released photos on Friday showing the marble tombstone flat against the ground, with the simple Latin inscription he requested in his will: "Franciscus."
Cardinals have already begun arriving in Rome for the upcoming conclave to elect a new pope. One hundred thirteen cardinals gathered on Thursday morning to discuss church matters and will meet again on Friday before taking a weekend break.
The conclave itself will begin no earlier than May 5, following the traditional nine days of public mourning.
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