The touching be aware Pope Francis might be buried with within his coffin

Pope Francis is ready to be buried with a heartwarming obituary describing the 266th pontiff as a ‘easy and much-loved shepherd’. 

The pontiff, whose dying at 88 was once introduced by way of the Vatican on Easter Monday, is being buried nowadays in a funeral provider attended by way of the arena’s leaders, together with US President Donald Trump, Prince William and Sir Keir Starmer. 

Up to 500,000 persons are anticipated to collect for the open-air provider, a few of them tenting out within the streets on Friday evening after travelling from internationally. 

Francis were mendacity in state in a easy wood coffin covered with zinc on the St Peter’s Basilica since Wednesday morning for 3 days in public view, earlier than the coffin was once sealed forward of his funeral nowadays. 

The obituary positioned in his coffin described how Francis was once the 266th Pope and that he would ‘stay within the middle of the Church and of humanity’. 

It added that whilst in Buenos Aries as Archbishop he was once a ‘easy and much-loved shepherd’ who ‘traveled all over around the town at the underground and the bus, cooking his personal foods as a result of he felt one of the most folks’.

It closed by way of announcing: ‘Francis has left everybody a good looking testimony of humanity, lifetime of a saint and common fatherhood.’

The zinc interior lid that lined his frame carried his identify, a move and his coat of hands and the of his papacy, 2013-2025, not like earlier Popes his was once only a unmarried coffin while earlier ones had 3 caskets.

Pope Francis ‘ coffin was once sealed on Friday, forward of his funeral on Saturday morning

Pope Francis’s coffin is closed within the Rite of Sealing of the Coffin at St Peter’s Basilica

World leaders, dignitaries and tens of hundreds of mourners collected in St Peter’s Square on Saturday to bid farewell to Pope Francis, one of the vital radical Catholic leaders of recent instances.

From dawn, hundreds of folks made their manner alongside Via della Conciliazione – the grand thoroughfare that results in the Vatican – making a song hymns, praying and swapping tales about Pope Francis.

Upon the start of the provider, archbishops and bishops will start to collect within the Constantine Wing, a hall adjoining to St Peter’s Basilica. They will put on chasuble (the outer garment worn by way of clergy all over services and products), alb, belts and a straightforward white mitre.

Priests and deacons may even collect at 8.30am within the house put aside for them in St Peter’s Square. They will put on a chasuble, alb, belt and a purple stole.

At 9am, the patriarchs and cardinals will meet in Saint Sebastian’s Chapel within the Basilica. They will put on the white Damascene mitre.

They will all then stroll within the funeral procession along Francis’s coffin, the place the past due Pope might be wearing a purple chasuble, damask and golden papal mitre.

At 10am native time (9am BST) the funeral will start and the coffin might be laid within the sq. in entrance of St Peter’s Basilica.

The provider might be presided over by way of Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Deacon of the College of Cardinals.

The frame of Pope Francis lies in a casket earlier than it is sealed, at St. Peter’s Basilica, forward of his funeral on the Vatican, April 25, 2025

This photograph taken and handout on April 25, 2025 by way of The Vatican Media displays the ceremony of the Velatio earlier than to seal the coffin of Pope Francis at the eve of his funeral at The Vatican

The zinc interior lid that protecting the Pope’s frame carried his identify, a move and his coat of hands and the of his papacy, 2013-2025

The Prince of Wales, who’s attending the provider on behalf of the King, is indexed beside the Prince of Norway within the ‘order of priority’ for global attendees.

William and Haakon are indexed in their very own class as crown princes, and are adopted within the order of priority by way of representatives from the Andorran govt.

The British Government delegation contains Sir Keir Starmer, who might be accompanied by way of his spouse Victoria, in addition to Foreign Secretary David Lammy, UK ambassador to the Vatican Chris Trott, and Ailsa Terry, the Prime Minister’s non-public secretary for international affairs.

The UK Government delegation is indexed between teams from Qatar and Serbia led by way of the ones nations’ heads of presidency.

Ireland’s delegation comes forward of each William and the British Government delegation as it’s led by way of head of state President Michael D Higgins.

It falls between teams from Indonesia and Iceland, additionally led by way of the ones nations’ heads of state.

Francis’s delivery nation Argentina will take priority within the seating, adopted by way of Italy.

The reigning sovereigns will then be seated in alphabetical order within the French language, adopted by way of heads of state.

The French language is used as historically French was once regarded as the language of international relations.

Tens of hundreds of persons are amassing in St Peter’s Square within the Vatican City to bid farewell to Pope Francis after his dying at 88

Mourners in St Peter’s Square cling aloft a banner which reads: ‘Goodbye father, trainer and poet’

US President Donald Trump and his spouse Melania arrive at Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci airport final evening after travelling on board Air Force One

Other figures anticipated to be in attendance come with US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron, in addition to former US president Joe Biden.

The funeral will apply the Funeral Rites of the Roman Pontiff and the information set out in Universi Dominici Gregis, a file issued by way of Pope John Paul II in 1996.

The rite will start with the doorway antiphon, a collection of psalm verses or scripture passages which can be historically sung or recited.

This might be adopted by way of the Penitential Act which permits the devoted to admit their sins to God.

The opening prayer comes after the Penitential Act. The first studying might be given in English by way of Kielce Gussie, a journalist from Vatican News.

The 2nd studying might be delivered in Spanish by way of Edgar Pineda. This might be adopted by way of the Universal prayers.

Before the tip of the mass, Cardinal Re will sprinkle the coffin with holy water and incense.

At the tip of the provider, valedictory ceremony and ultimate commendation, the place the Pope is officially entrusted to God, will happen.

Francis’s coffin will then be carried to the left of the altar at St Peter’s.

Sir Keir Starmer and his spouse Victoria are noticed arriving for the Pope’s funeral as a part of the British Government delegation – along Foreign Secretary David Lammy 

Prince William is noticed arriving at St Peter’s Square for the pope’s funeral following the Catholic chief’s dying on the age of 88

Faithful collect on the Vatican obelisk in St Peter’s Square on Saturday forward of Francis’ funeral

At the tip of the funeral – roughly 11.45am native time – the procession will start.

Francis’s coffin might be taken from St Peter’s Square to Santa Maria Maggiore the place he’ll be buried. This is anticipated to take round 30 mins, relying on crowds.

The course crosses the river Tiber and passes Piazza Venezia adopted by way of the Colosseum.

Francis left directions asking to be buried in a easy underground tomb in Rome’s papal basilica of Saint Mary Major.

The burial might be held in non-public.

This makes Francis the primary pontiff in additional than a century to not be buried at St Peter’s Basilica. The final pope who requested to be buried out of doors of the Vatican was once Pope Leo XIII, who died in 1903.