By Margherita Stancati and Marcus Walker
VATICAN CITY—A sea of mourners filled St. Peter’s Square and the streets beyond it to pay their final respects to Pope Francis who, with his informality and outspokenness, made the Catholic Church more open, sometimes rankling world leaders and fellow clergymen—many of whom attended his funeral.
Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals who will elect Francis’ successor at a coming conclave, led the funeral service, which began with Pope Francis’ coffin being carried into the square from the huge basilica behind it.
Dozens of government leaders as well as monarchs looked on, including President Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates, and President Javier Milei of the late pope’s native Argentina.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni sat near the altar, along with Italy’s head of state, President Sergio Mattarella. Also in the VIP seats were members of royal families including King Felipe VI of Spain and Prince William of the U.K., and government leaders in the French alphabetical order of their countries’ names.
Before the service, Trump and Zelensky held their first meeting since their shouting match at the White House in February. The two leaders sat down facing each other near the Baptistery Chapel of St. Peter’s Basilica. They discussed the state of negotiations about ending the Russia-Ukraine war for about 15 minutes, according to Ukrainian officials.
Under a blue sky, a huge crowd of mourners filled the rest of St. Peter’s Square and the broad avenue approaching it, Via della Conciliazione. Around 250,000 people attended, according to the Vatican. Mourners had to pass through tight security, including metal detectors.
“He was a Pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone. He was also a Pope attentive to the signs of the times and what the Holy Spirit was awakening in the Church,” Cardinal Re said in his homily.
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