Thousands gathered under a bright Roman sky on Saturday to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, whose humble legacy and global influence were celebrated in a historic Vatican ceremony.
Pope Francis' wooden coffin was carried into St. Peter's Square on Saturday at the start of a funeral Mass attended by a multitude of mourners, including powerful world leaders, clerics, and pilgrims. Applause rang out as the coffin, inlaid with a large cross, was brought out of St. Peter's Basilica and into the sun-filled square by 14 white-gloved pallbearers.
Bells tolled as the last of leaders from more than 150 countries took their places. Dignitaries included U.S. President Donald Trump, who clashed with Francis on numerous occasions over their starkly contrasting positions on immigration. Other notable figures included heads of state from Argentina, France, Gabon, Germany, the Philippines, and Poland, along with European royals and prime ministers from Britain and New Zealand.
The open-air ceremony, which was celebrated by 220 cardinals, 750 bishops, and over 4,000 priests, lasted for 90 minutes. Pope Francis' casket was placed on a carpet in front of the altar, with the book of gospels laid on top, as Vatican choirs sang. Massed ranks of red-robed cardinals sat to one side of the altar, facing rows of black-suited world leaders on the other side, while hundreds of priests in white vestments filled the space in front.
Throughout the week, around 250,000 mourners filed past his body in St. Peter’s Basilica. The pope died on Monday, aged 88, following a stroke. His death marked the start of a meticulously planned period of transition for the 1.4-billion-member Roman Catholic Church, with ancient rituals and mourning.
Before taking their seats, President Trump and his wife Melania paid their respects to the late pontiff’s coffin in St. Peter's Basilica. The coffin had been sealed shut the previous night. Applause also erupted when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appeared in the square, though no details were provided on his meeting with President Trump.
The ceremony, presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, was the culmination of days of mourning, as people from across the globe arrived in Rome to pay tribute to the pope.
Pope Francis, the first non-European pope in almost 13 centuries, was known for his efforts to reshape the Roman Catholic Church by championing the poor, calling for action on climate change, and advocating for migrants. His leadership was often marked by his break with traditional papal privileges. Francis chose a simpler funeral, opting for a single zinc-lined wooden coffin and for his final resting place to be outside the Vatican, at St. Mary Major Basilica, some 5.5 kilometers from St. Peter’s.
A simple iron-plated cross, similar to the one he wore during his papacy, hangs above his grave, marked with the Latin inscription "Franciscus."
China announced a sweeping inspection of fire-safety standards in high-rise buildings nationwide on Saturday after a deadly fire in Hong Kong left at ...
The death toll from floods and landslides following cyclonic rains in the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country's dis...
Hong Kong on Saturday mourned the 128 people known to have died in a massive fire at a high-rise apartment complex, a toll that is likely to rise with...
The global recall of Airbus A320 aircraft has triggered widespread disruption across several major airlines, forcing flight cancellations in the Unite...
U.S. investigators have recovered the black box recorders from the wreckage of a UPS cargo plane that crashed in flames on takeoff in Louisville, Kent...
At least 47 people have died and another 21 are reported missing following ten days of heavy rainfall, floods, and landslides across Sri Lanka, local media reported on Thursday (27 November).
Hong Kong fire authorities said they expected to wrap up search and rescue operations on Friday after the city's worst fire in nearly 80 years tore through a massive apartment complex, killing at least 128 people, injuring 79 and leaving around 200 still missing.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited sailors aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier in the Latin American region on Thursday, amid a military buildup by President Donald Trump’s administration that has heightened tensions with Venezuela.
Rescuers in Sri Lanka are racing against rising floodwaters and treacherous terrain today after a powerful storm system slammed into the island nation, killing at least 46 people and displacing tens of thousands in a disaster that threatens to strain the country’s resources.
The Spanish agricultural sector has been placed on high alert following the confirmation that African Swine Fever (ASF) has resurfaced in the country for the first time in over thirty years.
China announced a sweeping inspection of fire-safety standards in high-rise buildings nationwide on Saturday after a deadly fire in Hong Kong left at least 128 people dead.
The death toll from floods and landslides following cyclonic rains in the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country's disaster mitigation agency said on Saturday, up from a previous figure of 174.
Hong Kong on Saturday mourned the 128 people known to have died in a massive fire at a high-rise apartment complex, a toll that is likely to rise with 150 still missing days after the disaster.
The global recall of Airbus A320 aircraft has triggered widespread disruption across several major airlines, forcing flight cancellations in the United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
Pope Leo visited Istanbul’s Blue Mosque on Saturday, stepping inside one of the most iconic sites of the Muslim world. He removed his shoes at the entrance in a gesture of respect. He did not appear to pray.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment