Thousands of mourners and dozens of world leaders are attending the funeral of Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Basilica, following his death at age 88.
Dozens of world leaders and thousands of mourners are gathering for the funeral of Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88.
The funeral Mass is taking place on the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica, one of the Catholic Church’s most sacred sites, with more than 50 world leaders and 11 reigning monarchs attending.
U.S. President Donald Trump is in Rome for the ceremony — his first foreign trip of his second term. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also arrived in Rome, his spokesman confirmed.
Pope Francis died after suffering a stroke just one day after he appeared in the same square to offer a blessing to the faithful at the high point of the Christian calendar.
Over the past three days, more than 250,000 people have filed past the pope’s body, which was laid out in a coffin before the altar inside the vast, 16th-century St. Peter’s Basilica.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella, accompanied by his daughter and Italy’s First Lady Laura Mattarella, arrived solemnly at St. Peter’s Square ahead of the funeral Mass for Pope Francis. The president's presence reflected the nation's deep mourning and enduring connection with the Vatican.
Britain was represented by Prince William, who walked with quiet reverence among the attendees, honoring the pontiff’s legacy. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his wife, Victoria Starmer, were also present, joining other global leaders in paying tribute to Pope Francis.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella, accompanied by his daughter and Italy’s First Lady Laura Mattarella, arrived early to represent the host nation. Britain's Prince William walked quietly among the mourners, while Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his wife, Victoria Starmer, offered their respects.
Argentina’s President Javier Milei, representing the pope’s homeland, was seen making a heartfelt gesture ahead of the ceremony. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, alongside his wife Elke Büdenbender and Chancellor Olaf Scholz, also attended, highlighting the broad European representation.
Former U.S. President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden made their way through the square, reflecting the pope’s significant impact on American Catholics and global diplomacy. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres walked solemnly, paying tribute to a leader who often championed peace, human rights, and care for the poor on the world stage.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and France’s President Emmanuel Macron with his wife Brigitte Macron were also present among the mourners.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 7th of January, covering the latest developments you need to k...
Iran has executed a man accused of spying for Israel’s Mossad intelligence service, the country’s judiciary reported on Wednesday, 7 January, amid...
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Wednesday (7 January), that significant progress has been made in restoring trust with China. He also rei...
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake has struck off the southern Philippines, with no immediate reports of damage or injuries, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)...
Protests continued into another day in Iran, with crowds returning to the streets despite mounting pressure from the authorities. By scale and spread,...
The year 2025 proved to be one of the most transformative periods for the Roman Catholic Church in recent history, beginning with the death of Pope Francis and culminating in the election and early diplomatic outreach of his successor, Pope Leo XIV.
Pope Leo has criticised corporate pay packages that grant executives hundreds of times more than workers, citing Tesla’s $1 trillion compensation plan for CEO Elon Musk. The remarks came in excerpts from his first media interview, released on Sunday by Catholic news site Crux.
Pope Leo has called on the leaders of Iran and Israel to show restraint and choose dialogue over conflict, urging them to act with “responsibility and reason” amid growing fears of escalation following recent airstrikes.
Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, the Catholic Church is preparing for one of its most ancient and secretive traditions: the papal conclave. This process to elect the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church combines centuries-old rituals with modern security measures to ensure
Germany’s foreign intelligence service secretly monitored the telephone communications of former U.S. President Barack Obama for several years, including calls made aboard Air Force One, according to an investigation by the German newspaper Die Zeit.
Israeli media report that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chaired a lengthy security meeting that reportedly focused on the country’s regional threats, including Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.
At the end of last year, U.S. President Donald Trump was reported to have raised the Azerbaijan–Armenia peace agenda during a conversation with Israel’s prime minister, warning that if peace were not achieved, Washington could raise tariffs on both countries by 100 percent.
President Ilham Aliyev said 2025 has politically closed the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, as a Trump-era reset in U.S. ties, new transport corridors and a push into AI, renewables and defence production reshape Azerbaijan’s priorities.
Dmitry Medvedev has warned that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could face the same fate as Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, following what he described as a U.S. ‘abduction’ of the Venezuelan president.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 7th of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Wednesday (7 January), that significant progress has been made in restoring trust with China. He also reiterated that relations with Japan are equally important for Seoul’s diplomacy amid shifting regional dynamics.
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake has struck off the southern Philippines, with no immediate reports of damage or injuries, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has said.
U.S. President Donald Trump and his team say they're actively exploring options to acquire Greenland, with discussions including the potential use of U.S. military, which is "always an option," according to a statement from the White House on Tuesday.
Leaders from the U.S. and European countries moved closer to finalising legally binding security guarantees for Ukraine following a “Coalition of the Willing” meeting in Paris on Sunday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment