Pope Francis funeral live: World leaders gather in the Vatican as millions of Catholics prepare final farewell

By ELIZABETH HAIGH and NICK PISA IN ROME

Published: 06:45 BST, 26 April 2025 | Updated: 07:22 BST, 26 April 2025

Pope Francis’s funeral is taking place in St Peter’s Square this morning as world leaders gather in Vatican City to pay their final respects to the head of the Catholic Church.

Vast crowds will line the square in front of St Peter’s Basilica where 250,000 people passed through to see Francis lay in state for three days following his death on Easter Monday at the age of 88.

Dozens of heads of state and royals will attend the service in the most prominent gathering of world leaders since the second inauguration of US President Donald Trump in January.

Live updates below

WATCH LIVE: Pope Francis’s funeral in the Vatican

Watch our live stream of the Pope’s funeral as world leaders gather in the Vatican to say farewell to the head of the Catholic Church.

All the world leaders attending Pope Francis’s funeral

Keir Starmer and Donald Trump will both attend the Pope’s funeral

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 27: (L-R) UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer meets with U.S. President Donald Trump, during a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office at the White House on February 27, 2025 in Washington, DC. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is on his first visit to Washington since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House. Starmer's trip comes shortly after he announced an increase in UK defence spending, ostensibly as a signal to Trump that the UK is prepared to bolster Europe's security, and as he aims to broker a fair peace deal for Ukraine amid Trump's warming relations with Russia. (Photo by Carl Court - Pool/Getty Images)

The Vatican said at least 130 foreign delegations had confirmed their attendance at Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday, including around 50 heads of state and 10 reigning monarchs.

Here is a list of VIP guests whose offices have confirmed they will be in Rome:

Argentina: President Javier Milei.

Brazil: President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife Janja.

Honduras: President Xiomara Castro.

United Nations: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

United States: President Donald Trump and his wife Melania.

Austria: Chancellor Christian Stocker.

Belgium: King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, with Prime Minister Bart De Wever.

Bulgaria: Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov.

Croatia: President Zoran Milanovic, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.

Czech Republic: Prime Minister Petr Fiala.

Estonia: President Alar Karis.

European Union: EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa.

Finland: President Alexander Stubb.

France: President Emmanuel Macron.

Germany: President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz

Greece: Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Hungary: President Tamas Sulyok and Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Ireland: President Michael Higgins and his wife Sabina, plus Taoiseach (prime minister) Micheal Martin.

Kosovo: President Vjosa Osmani.

Latvia: President Edgars Rinkevics.

Lithuania: President Gitanas Nauseda.

Moldova: President Maia Sandu.

Monaco: Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene.

The Netherlands: Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp.

North Macedonia: President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova.

Norway: Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.

Poland: President Andrzej Duda and his wife.

Portugal: President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Prime Minister Luis Montenegro.

Romania: Interim President Ilie Bolojan.

Russia: Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova.

Slovakia: President Peter Pellegrini.

Slovenia: President Natasa Pirc Musar and Prime Minister Robert Golob.

Spain: King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.

Sweden: King Carl XVI Gustaf and his wife Queen Silvia, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

Ukraine: President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska.

United Kingdom: Prince William representing head of state King Charles III and Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Israel: Yaron Sideman, Ambassador to the Holy See.

Cape Verde: President Jose Maria Neves.

Central African Republic: President Faustin-Archange Touadera.

Democratic Republic of Congo: President Felix Tshisekedi.

Gabon: President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema

India: President Droupadi Murmu.

Philippines: President Ferdinand Marcos and first lady Liza Marcos.

Security tightened ahead of Pope’s funeral

People pass through police security checks as they queue on the street

Security is tight around the Vatican with sharpshooters on rooftops overlooking the Vatican, patrols passing through the crowds and several units of soldiers can be seen armed with anti drone Italian made CPM jammers that look like bazookas.

More than 50 metal detectors and x ray machines have been set up along both colonnades either side of St Peter’s Square to scan people as they make their way as close as possible to try ad get a view but if you aren’t here already, you haven’t a hope.

Six giant TV screens have been set up along the Via della Concilazione, the main road that links to St Peter’s and there are others at Santa Maria Maggiore basilica where the Pope will be buried and elsewhere through the city as up to 500,000 are expected for the service.

On Friday after the coffin was sealed the Vatican said more than 250,000 had filed past Pope Francis coffin during his three day lying in state, with French president Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte being among the final few to pay their respects.

Rome’s turn in the spotlight will not end with the funeral. Huge crowds generally gather to wait for the outcome of the secret conclave of cardinals that elects a new pope. That is not expected to start before May 6.

Pope’s coffin guarded throughout the night

TOPSHOT - Police officers stand guard as people queue on the street ahead of late Pope Francis' funeral near the Vatican, in Rome on April 26, 2025. Pope Francis, champion of the poor and the Church's first Latin American leader, will be honoured April 26 with a funeral attended by world leaders and tens of thousands of Catholic faithful. The Argentine pontiff, who died on April 21, 2025, aged 88, sought to create a more open-minded Church during his 12-year papacy, and many emotional tributes have been made -- with 250,000 people paying respects at his coffin in St Peter's Basilica. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP) (Photo by DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images)

The Pope’s coffin had been guarded through the night in St Peter’s Basilica by a detachment of Swiss Guards holding lances in their colourful uniforms.

Earlier the coffin had been closed by the Cardinal camerlengo Kevin Farrell who was joined by the scandal hit former Archbishop of LA Roger Mahony.

Following ancient ritual a bag of coins and medals minted during his reign were placed in the coffin along with an obituary detailing his life.

He was wearing his traditional red Papal robes, symbolising blood and love, his mitre and his favourite well worn black lace up shoes.

Watch: Gates open at St Peter’s Square as mourners file past

Crowds form overnight as battle for best view is under way

by Nick Pisa in Vatican City

People wait to enter the Vatican, ahead of the funeral Mass of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square, as seen from Rome, Italy, April 26, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Coombs

People gather, ahead of the funeral Mass of Pope Francis at St. Peter's Square, as seen from Rome, Italy, April 26, 2025. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

TOPSHOT - People queue to enter the Vatican's St Peter's Square, ahead of late Pope Francis' funeral, in Rome on April 26, 2025. Pope Francis, champion of the poor and the Church's first Latin American leader, will be honoured April 26 with a funeral attended by world leaders and tens of thousands of Catholic faithful. The Argentine pontiff, who died on April 21, 2025, aged 88, sought to create a more open-minded Church during his 12-year papacy, and many emotional tributes have been made -- with 250,000 people paying respects at his coffin in St Peter's Basilica. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP) (Photo by DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images)

Crowds began to gather overnight for the funeral of Pope Francis with many hoping to bag a good spot with a view of the altar at the front of St Peter’s.

By just after 7am local time there were thousands of people packed along Via della Concilazione singing hymns, praying and swapping stories about Pope Francis.

Although the day had dawned bright and sunny a chilly mist rolled in from the Tiber has begun to envelop the Vatican sending the temperature down.

How will the funeral unfold? And how can we watch it?

The Pope’s funeral is scheduled to take place at 10am local time, 9am UK time.

Here’s what we can expect.

VATICAN CITY, VATICAN - APRIL 25: A general view shows the St Peter's Basilica, on April 25, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Francis, who died on April 21 aged 88, is lying in state for a final day ahead of tomorrow's funeral in St. Peter's Square. (Photo by Antonio Masiello/Getty Images)

The Pope’s final journey will begin at the Altar of the Confessio, near the main altar of St Peter’s Basilica (pictured) above the tomb of St Peter, the first pope.

The coffin will be taken out of the basilica and placed on a dais in St Peter’s Square.

The service will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals. He will be joined by cardinals, archbishops, bishops and priests from around the world.

Francis’ coffin will be brought back into the Basilica after the eucharist, final commendation and valediction.

EDITORS NOTE: Graphic content / This photograph shows a view of Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, where the Pope will be buried after his funeral in the Vatican, in Rome, on April 25, 2025. The Vatican on April 25, 2025, said over 128,000 people have already paid their respects to Pope Francis, whose body is lying in state in St Peter's Basilica ahead of his funeral. (Photo by Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP) (Photo by PIERO CRUCIATTI/AFP via Getty Images)

Flanked by Swiss Guards, Pope Francis’ coffin will then be carried by the pallbearers – the ‘sediari’ – in procession with priests, bishops and cardinals across Rome’s River Tiber to the Basilica of St Mary Major (pictured above), where Francis will be buried.

This will be the first pope in over a century to be buried outside the Vatican.

MailOnline will livestream the funeral from 7am onwards.

BBC, Sky News, ITVX, the Vatican website and YouTube will also broadcast the event live.

Our stream will be pinned to the top of this page when it becomes live.

Pope Francis’s funeral takes place in Vatican City

(FILES) Pope Francis gestures as he departs the Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral following his meeting with bishops, priests, missionaries, consecrates persons and pastoral workers in Ulaanbaatar on September 2, 2023. The Vatican said on April 24, 2025, that nearly 50,000 people had so far paid their respects to Pope Francis, whose body is lying in state at St Peter's Basilica for three days before his funeral, which is set for April 26 morning. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP) (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Hello and welcome to MailOnline’s live coverage of Pope Francis’s funeral in Vatican City as world pays its final respects to the head of the Catholic Church.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend the funeral this morning in St Peter’s Square, among them heads of state, royals, Catholic officials and mourners from around the globe.

It comes after Francis died in the early hours of Easter Monday hours after he made a final public appearance on Easter Sunday despite ongoing health struggles.

The 88-year-old spent 38 days in Rome’s Gemelli hospital earlier this year after a respiratory illness turned into double pneumonia which had left him critically ill.

Italian and Vatican authorities have placed the area around St Peter’s under tight security with drones blocked, snipers on roofs and fighter jets on standby.

Stick with us throughout the day as we bring you the latest updates from the funeral which starts at 9am UK time (10am local time) plus reaction, analysis and the most eye-catching videos and pictures from the day.