Hundreds of thousands of mourners and world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday to bid farewell to Pope Francis, the Catholic Church’s first Latin American leader and a pope renowned for his compassion and open-heartedness.

Some had waited overnight to secure seats in the vast square outside St. Peter’s Basilica, where the Vatican reported an astonishing 250,000 attendees — a powerful outpouring of love and respect for the Argentine pontiff.

Over 50 heads of state were present at the solemn ceremony, including President Trump, who held meetings with leaders such as Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky — their first face-to-face encounter since a tense Oval Office meeting in February.

A Final Goodbye

The crowd erupted in applause as white-gloved pallbearers carried Pope Francis’s simple coffin out of the basilica, accompanied by over 200 red-robed cardinals. More applause followed after the nearly two-hour mass when his coffin was brought back inside.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re delivered the funeral homily, praising Francis as "a pope among the people, with an open heart," and recalling his unwavering belief that the Church should be "a home with its doors always open".

Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88, spent his 12-year papacy steering the centuries-old Church toward a more inclusive, compassionate direction — a legacy that ignited an outpouring of global emotion upon his death.

"It’s beautiful to see so many nationalities together," said Jeremie Metais, 29, from Grenoble, France. "It’s like the centre of the world today."

A Global Gathering in His Honor

Security was tight, with fighter jets on standby and snipers stationed on rooftops around the Vatican. Following the funeral, Pope Francis’s coffin was placed on a white popemobile for a slow procession through the streets of Rome to the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where he would be laid to rest — the first pope to be buried outside Vatican walls in over a century.

The funeral marked the start of nine days of official mourning at the Vatican, after which cardinals will gather for a conclave to elect the next pope for the Church’s 1.4 billion followers.

The coffin of late Pope Francis is carried by pallbearers into Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, in Rome on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Stefano Costantino / AFP)

France’s President Emmanuel Macron (L) speaks with Finland’s President Alexander Stubb during late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP)

Iran’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyyed Abbas Salehi (3L) arrives ahead of late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)

Cardinals syand during late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP)

Pallbearers carry the coffin during late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP)

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky (C) and his wife Olena Zelenska (L) sit alongside other leaders including India’s President Droupadi Murmu (R) as they attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP)

Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales arrives for late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP)

US President Donald Trump (C) and First Lady Melania Trump (2L) stand alongside leaders including Poland’s President Andrzej Duda (REAR) and Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa (L) as they attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP)

Spain’s King Felipe VI (C) and Spain’s Queen Letizia (R) walk as they arrive ahead of late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer (C) and his wife Victoria Starmer (C/L) look on during the late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square at The Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP)

(From R) Argentina’s President Javier Milei, General Secretary of the Presidency of Argentina, Karina Milei, Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella, Laura Matterella and other leaders including Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier stand alongside a member of the Swiss Guard during the late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)

Belgium’s King Philippe (center R) and Belgium’s Queen Mathilde (center L) attend late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)

"Build Bridges, Not Walls"

Francis’s efforts to modernize the Church sometimes angered traditionalists and world leaders alike. His vocal criticism of issues like the treatment of migrants and climate change won both admiration and backlash.

Cardinal Battista Re highlighted Francis’s enduring calls for peace and justice:

"‘Build bridges, not walls’ was an exhortation he repeated many times," he said.

Francis’s commitment to migrants was also praised — from his early papal visit to Lampedusa, an entry point for refugees, to celebrating mass at the Mexico-U.S. border.

Despite past tensions, President Trump paid tribute, calling Francis "a good man who loved the world." Other world leaders present included President Joe Biden, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Germany’s Olaf Scholz, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, and Lebanon’s Joseph Aoun. Notably, Israel sent only its Holy See ambassador, and China had no representative.

A Message of Peace Amid a Divided World

Photos captured poignant moments: Trump and Zelensky seated together in the basilica, later joined by Britain’s Keir Starmer and France’s Emmanuel Macron. The funeral, some mourners noted, managed to unite leaders who couldn’t be brought together in life.

"He could not bring them together in life but he managed in death," said Francesco Morello, 58, from Italy.

Faithful attend Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square in the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP)

Members of the clergy watch a religious service on a large screen along Via della Conciliazione street ahead of late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony, near the Vatican in Rome on April 26, 2025. . (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP)

Attendees stand during late Pope Francis’ funeral at St Peter’s Square during in the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP)

Faithful attend Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square in the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)

Italian cardinal Giovanni Battista Re blesses the coffin of late Pope Francis, during the funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)

Italian cardinal Giovanni Battista Re swings an incense burner towards the coffin of late Pope Francis with the book of the gospels displayed on it during the funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square in The Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)

Cardinals of the Eastern and Oriental Catholic Churches arrive to pay a last moment of respect in front of the coffin of late Pope Francis, during the funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)

France’s President Emmanuel Macron (C-L) and US President Donald Trump (C-R) attend the funeral ceremony of late Pope Francis at St Peter’s Square in The Vatican, on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP))

Members of the clergy attend Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square in the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP)

A Simple Life, A Simple Death

Francis died after suffering a stroke and heart failure, only weeks after a lengthy hospitalization for pneumonia.

Throughout his life and papacy, Francis shunned lavishness: he lived in a Vatican guesthouse instead of the papal palace, wore simple garments, and consistently chose humility over grandeur. True to his wishes, his body was placed in a single wooden coffin, and he was interred in a plain marble tomb inscribed simply with "Franciscus."

Around the world, Catholics mourned and celebrated his legacy — particularly in Buenos Aires, where he was born Jorge Bergoglio in the working-class neighborhood of Flores in 1936.

Faithful pray during late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony along Via della Conciliazione street leading to St Peter’s Square, outside the Vatican in Rome on April 26, 2025. (Photo by JEFF PACHOUD / AFP)

Faithful pray during late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony along Via della Conciliazione street leading to St Peter’s Square, outside the Vatican in Rome on April 26, 2025. (Photo by JEFF PACHOUD / AFP)

People gather along the road as the coffin of late Pope Francis is transported from St Peter’s Basilica to Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, during the funeral ceremony in Rome on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP)

Pallbearers carry the coffin of late Pope Francis at the end of the mass of funeral ceremony in St Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)

Pallbearers carry the coffin of late Pope Francis during the funeral ceremony in St Peter’s Square at The Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Isabella BONOTTO / AFP)

(1st ROW – L TO R) French President’s wife Brigitte Macron, France’s President Emmanuel Macron, Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump, Estonia’s President Alar Karis, Spain’s King Felipe VI ans his wife Spain’s Queen Letizia observe the coffin of late Pope Francis during the funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square in The Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Isabella BONOTTO / AFP)

Pallbearers prepare to carry the coffin during late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)

(1st ROW-L to R) French President’s wife Brigitte Macron, France’s President Emmanuel Macron, , Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump, Estonia’s President Alar Karis, Spain’s King Felipe VI and his wife Spain’s Queen Letizia attend late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square in The Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Isabella BONOTTO / AFP)

A faithfull reacts as she waits during late Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony, in central Rome on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP)

A Transformational Papacy

Pope Francis is credited with transforming global perceptions of the Catholic Church. He championed inclusivity: blessing same-sex couples, baptizing transgender believers, and allowing divorced and remarried Catholics to receive communion.

Yet he remained firm on traditional Church teachings like opposition to abortion, illustrating a delicate balance between progress and tradition.

"He strove for a Church capable of bending down to every person, regardless of their beliefs or condition, and healing their wounds," Battista Re said.

His final public act — blessing the world on Easter Sunday — summed up a papacy devoted to protecting the vulnerable and marginalized.

Pope Francis, the 266th successor of St. Peter, leaves behind a Church forever touched by his humility, courage, and love for humanity.

This photo taken and handout on April 26, 2025 by The Vatican Media shows the rite of the burial of the coffin of Pope Francis at Santa Maria Maggiore basilica. (Photo by Handout / VATICAN MEDIA / AFP)

This photo taken and handout on April 26, 2025 by The Vatican Media shows the rite of the burial of the coffin of Pope Francis at Santa Maria Maggiore basilica. (Photo by Handout / VATICAN MEDIA / AFP)

This photo taken and handout on April 26, 2025 by The Vatican Media shows the rite of the burial of the coffin of Pope Francis at Santa Maria Maggiore basilica. (Photo by Handout / VATICAN MEDIA / AFP)

The coffin of late Pope Francis is carried by pallbearers into Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Stefano Costantino / AFP)

The coffin of late Pope Francis is carried by pallbearers into Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Stefano Costantino / AFP)

The coffin of late Pope Francis sits in front of Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Stefano Costantino / AFP)

The coffin of late Pope Francis, transported from St Peter’s Basilica to Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, pass by spetcators and faithful in Rome on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Stefano Costantino / AFP)

The coffin of late Pope Francis is seen in front of the Colosseum as it is transported from St Peter’s Basilica to Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, during the funeral ceremony in Rome on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Stefano Rellandini / AFP)

People gather along the road as the coffin of late Pope Francis is transported from St Peter’s Basilica to Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, during the funeral ceremony in Rome on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP)