Requiescat In Pace: World Leaders and Faithful Gather at the Vatican to Pay Respects to Pope Francis

This morning in Rome, hundreds of thousands of people, including several world leaders, gathered in St. Peter’s Square to pay their respects to the late Pope Francis.

This included Prince William, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italy’s PM Georgia Meloni, former President Joe Biden, and President Donald Trump.

A papal Requiem Mass is always a solemn ceremony replete with tradition, and here are some of the highlights of the day:

Scenes from the Requiem Mass for Pope Francis pic.twitter.com/yQCnkomrk0

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) April 26, 2025

And here are more images from the start of the Requiem Mass

The beginning of the Requiem Mass for Pope Francis pic.twitter.com/gP7Jbqtzjb

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) April 26, 2025

Pope Francis’ casket was carried past the crowd.

The simple casket of Pope Francis is carried past some world leaders pic.twitter.com/MKbpGZ8rEq

— Larry Madowo (@LarryMadowo) April 26, 2025

Dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, presided.

Over a quarter of a million people from all walks of life gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday to bid their final farewell to Pope Francis at his Requiem Mass.

The solemn liturgy was presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, who was… pic.twitter.com/wyfUdycNk8

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) April 26, 2025

The President and First Lady paid their respects to the late pontiff.

.@POTUS and @FLOTUS pay their respects to Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica. pic.twitter.com/VZBMICKxjK

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 26, 2025

.@POTUS and @FLOTUS stand alongside world leaders at the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square: pic.twitter.com/NAMwuUQ3Vi

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 26, 2025

Representatives of the Eastern Catholic Churches are chanting funeral prayers from the Byzantine tradition at the funeral of Pope Francis.

Goosebumps. pic.twitter.com/3dVpwaBpLS

— Wojciech Pawelczyk (@WojPawelczyk) April 26, 2025

Very moving.

Pope Francis asked to be interred at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, and his funeral procession went through the streets of Rome.

Pope Francis’ mortal remains are carried aboard the popemobile through the streets of Rome to their eternal resting place at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, and his coffin pauses for a final salute to the ancient icon of Mary Salus Populi Romani. pic.twitter.com/i7CameHuDQ

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) April 26, 2025

And here is video of his burial:

Vatican video of Pope Francis’ burial in St Mary Major Basilica released by @HolySeePress

The pope’s funeral procession made its way through Rome, passing through many tourist hotspots like the Colosseum & Roman Forum, before arriving at Mary Major’s

Credit: Vatican Media https://t.co/TcJOfBHxiF pic.twitter.com/WbWzAur8j9

— Michael Haynes 🇻🇦 (@MLJHaynes) April 26, 2025

Sometime between now and May 5-6, the College of Cardinals will meet in the Conclave and begin the process of selecting a new Pope to lead the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics.