Heads of state, royalty, and senior officials from more than 130 foreign delegations, along with tens of thousands of faithful, assembled in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City on Saturday for the funeral Mass of Pope Francis.
Among the dignitaries present were U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Argentine President Javier Milei, from the Pope's native country. Also in attendance were French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and many other world leaders. Royal figures attending included Prince William of the United Kingdom, and King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain.
The Council of Europe is represented at the funeral by Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge and President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Theodoros Rousopoulos.
In keeping with Pope Francis' lifelong commitment to the most vulnerable, a group of poor and marginalized individuals has been invited to receive his casket at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, prior to the burial.
Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis reminded us of the essence of our shared humanity, calling on us "to overcome the paralysis of fear, the indifference that kills, and the cynical disregard that nonchalantly condemns to death those on the fringes."
