Ring of steel for Pope Francis’ funeral with drone-busting troops part of huge security operation at the Vatican as the world’s VIPs join 500,000 mourners

By NICK PISA IN VATICAN CITY

Published: 00:10 BST, 25 April 2025 | Updated: 00:42 BST, 25 April 2025

A massive security operation was under way last night as 500,000 mourners began to descend on Rome for Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday.

Officials are putting a ring of steel around the Vatican, with VIPs from 170 countries arriving in the Italian capital.

They include Prince William, Sir Keir Starmer, Donald Trump and his wife Melania, as well as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and Italian premier Giorgia Meloni.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has not been invited and will be represented by Olga Ljubimova, Russia’s culture minister.

Army anti-drone units will join machine-gun toting police patrolling the route of the funeral procession and the site of the main service – St Peter’s Basilica.

The operation also includes special forces sharp-shooters on rooftops, undercover units, security teams on horseback, helicopter patrols and boats on the nearby River Tiber. 

A source said: ‘We have heads of state from all over the world, members of several royal families and a host of other dignitaries, so it’s huge security operation but we are prepared for anything.’

Security is also being stepped up in and around the city’s airports at Fiumicino and Ciampino. A military airbase at Pratica di Mare is also on standby.

Officials are putting a ring of steel around the Vatican, with VIPs from 170 countries arriving in the Italian capital

Army anti-drone units will join machine-gun toting police patrolling the route of the funeral procession and the site of the main service – St Peter’s Basilica

An Airborne Warning and Control System, or Awacs, plane will be circling above Rome – while down below drains and sewers are being checked. 

As mourners continued to line up to pay tribute to Pope Francis yesterday, at least three army air defence units were visible.

Each consists of two servicemen – one anti-drone operator and a spotter using binoculars. 

They are armed with Italian-made CPM weapons which work by jamming the radio frequencies used by drones to communicate and navigate. 

One operator told the Daily Mail: ‘I can’t go into too much detail but … we can direct it away or make it land.’

The Vatican has a small ceremonial army of Swiss Guards and there is also the Vatican Security Service, the Pope’s bodyguards. 

But the main security will be provided by the Italian government and there will be thousands of police and soldiers in and around the Vatican and along the four-mile route from St Peter’s to the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica where Francis will be buried.

Pilgrims continued to flock to the Vatican yesterday to pay their last respects to Pope Francis as he lay in state at the Altar of the Confessor inside the Basilica of St Peter’s. 

A nun is security checked by a police officer as they make their way to the line and pay homage to the body of Pope Francis in St Peter’s Basilica

Members of the Italian Armed Forces and mounted police officers patrol as part of security preparations ahead of Pope Francis’ funeral

Members of the Carabinieri on motorcycles are seen near the Vatican ahead of the funeral

Doors are due to close at 7pm on Friday so the coffin can be closed at 8pm and the Basilica prepared for Saturday’s ceremony.

In a break with tradition, Pope Francis asked to be buried at Santa Maria Maggiore instead of in the papal cemetery under St Peter’s. 

This has added to the security headache and the route will have to be locked down, with the cortege moving slowly to enable the crowd to see it.

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Ring of steel for Pope Francis’ funeral with drone-busting troops part of huge security operation at the Vatican as the world’s VIPs join 500,000 mourners

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