ROME, Italy — Pope Francis will be laid to rest Saturday following a funeral Mass at St. Peter’s Square attended by presidents, princes and as many as a quarter-million more.
The leader of the Catholic church died Monday at age 88 after suffering a stroke.
[PHOTOS: Hundreds of thousands of people gather as Pope Francis laid to rest]
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8:11 a.m. - Tens of thousands attend Mass for Francis in East Timor
Tens of thousands of mourners attended a funeral Mass for Francis at a seaside park near East Timor’s capital of Dili.
Francis made a historic visit to the overwhelmingly Catholic Southeast Asian country in September 2024, drawing over 600,000 people at the main event.
7:13 a.m. - Francis’ coffin is inside St. Mary Major Basilica
Pope Francis’ coffin was met by bishops and top cardinals in St. Mary Major Basilica, where he will be buried in a private ceremony later Saturday.
Pallbearers paused before the icon of the Madonna that Francis revered in a final salute, and four children lay white roses at the altar of the chapel that contains the icon. The pallbearers then continued with the coffin toward the niche where Francis will be buried beneath a simple tombstone bearing his name in Latin.
The Vatican media footage returned to the icon and then to the basilica’s exterior to allow the burial to proceed in private.
7:00 a.m. - Francis will be buried in a private ceremony later Saturday
Pope Francis’ coffin has arrived at St. Mary Major Basilica, where he will be buried in a private ceremony later Saturday.
It was met by about 40 migrants, prisoners, homeless and transgender people each holding a white rose. Their inclusion was emblematic of his care for the marginalized. Francis is the first pope to be buried outside of the Vatican in 100 years.
6:57 a.m. - The pope’s coffin has arrived at St. Mary Major Basilica
6:51 a.m. - More people turn out in Rome to watch the motorcade
The motorcade for the pope’s coffin is continuing through Rome’s historic center, where the crowds have thickened.
People were on the steps of the Tomb of the Unknown soldier to catch a glimpse of the papal coffin. It continued past the ancient Roman Forum and Colosseum, to applause and shouts of “Il Papa!” (the pope).
6:38 a.m. - The motorcade with the coffin is making its way across Rome
Crowds applauded and yelled “Papa Francesco!” as a slow-moving motorcade escorting the pope’s coffin to his final resting place left the Vatican to make its way across Rome.
The coffin was visible from atop a modified popemobile. There was more clapping and church bells rang out as the popemobile emerged from a tunnel and crossed the Tiber River.
The popemobile was flanked by police on motorcycles.
6:33 a.m. - Pope Francis’ coffin leaves the Vatican en route to his burial place in St. Mary Major Basilica
The coffin is being carried on the back of a popemobile modified so mourners lining streets can view it. The 6-kilometer (3.5-mile) route crosses the Tiber River and passes Italy’s monumental Tomb of the Unknown soldier, the ancient Roman Forum and the Colosseum before reaching the basilica.
The coffin will be met by about 40 migrants, prisoners, and homeless and transgender people, reflecting the pontiff’s care for people who are marginalized.
6:31 a.m. - Pope’s coffin has left the Vatican as bells tolled
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6:14 a.m. - The Vatican has updated the number of people attending Pope Francis’ funeral to 250,000
6:12 a.m. - Funeral Mass ends
Pope Francis’ funeral Mass has ended, and cardinals have filed back into St. Peter’s Basilica.
The crowd applauded as white-gloved pallbearers lifted the pope’s coffin to bring it back inside the basilica. From there, it will be moved to the popemobile to make its way across Rome to Francis’ burial place in St. Mary Major.
6:04 a.m. - Meditative chant is sung at funeral Mass
A litany of saints was sung out during the funeral Mass for Pope Francis, a meditative chant that is part of the traditional rites.
It was followed by a blessing from Eastern rite Catholic churches chanted in Greek by patriarchs and priests. The pages of the New Testament placed atop the coffin fluttered in the wind as Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re blessed the coffin with incense and holy water.
4:47 a.m. - Pope Francis is remembered as a pope among the people in his funeral Mass
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re eulogized Pope Francis on Saturday as a pope of the people, a paster who knew how to communicate to the “least among us” with an informal, spontaneous style.
Re called Francis “a pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone.”
He recalled the last image many people have of Francis was of him delivering what would become his final blessing on Easter Sunday, and saluting from the popemobile in the same piazza where his funeral was being celebrated.
4:43 a.m. - Vatican says about 200,000 people have flocked to Pope Francis’ funeral Mass
The brief statement did not specify if that was in St. Peter’s Square alone.
Mourners were lined up along Via della Conciliazione, which leads up to the Vatican, and followed the Mass on big screens in public squares in Rome, including outside the Santa Maria Major Basilica.
4:28 a.m. - Trump and Zelenskyy meet before the service
That’s according to Zelenskyy’s press office.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung confirmed the meeting and said they “met privately today and had a very productive discussion.”
“More details about the meeting will follow,” he said.
Shortly after arriving in Rome on Friday, Trump said on social media that Ukraine and Russia should meet for “very high-level talks” on ending the three-year war sparked by Russia’s invasion. His envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier Friday, and Trump said both sides were “very close to a deal.”
4:25 a.m. - Pope Francis’ funeral Mass begins in a packed St. Peter’s Square
Tens of thousands flocked to the funeral, which Francis choreographed himself when he revised and simplified the Vatican’s rites and rituals last year.
4:16 a.m. - Pallbearers carry Pope Francis’ simple wooden coffin
They carried the coffin, adorned with just a crucifix and Francis’ coat of arms, down the central aisle of St. Peter’s Basilica and out into the square at the start of his funeral.
Red-robbed cardinals lined the path and followed behind as the crowd in the square erupted in applause in a sign of respect.
4:15 a.m. - Cardinals flank pope’s coffin
Cardinals in rich red robes formed a double line in St. Peter’s Basilica, flanking the coffin as it was carried into the square for the funeral Mass. Pallbearers lifted the coffin to applause from the square.
4:09 a.m. - Trump takes his seat for the funeral
Trump, in a blue suit, and his wife, Melania, were escorted out of St. Peter’s Basilica to their seats for the service.
He was followed afterward by Zelenskyy, who was greeted with a burst of applause from the audience.
4:04 a.m. - Bells toll to signal the start of the procession
Francis’ coffin will be brought from St. Peter’s Basilica to the front of the altar in the square.
Mourners were instructed to refrain from waving flags or banners during the procession.
3:49 a.m. - Mourners are led in rosary prayer as dignitaries take their seats
World leaders and royalty sat to the right of the main altar.
EU Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and Argentine President Javier Milei have all made their way to their seating.
The Argentine and Italian leaders have a place of pride in the seating order.
3:35 a.m. - Trump arrives at funeral to pay respects to Pope Francis
Donald Trump arrived with his wife, Melania. He is among more than 50 heads of state and other dignitaries attending the funeral of Pope Francis.
3:29 a.m. - Pope’s coffin will be placed on the back of a popemobile used on a Philippines trip
The pope will get one more ride past the faithful on one of his beloved popemobiles.
The Vatican says for Saturday’s burial procession, his coffin will be placed on the back of a popemobile used during his 2015 trip to the Philippines.
The vehicle has been modified so the coffin will be visible to mourners along the nearly 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) route from St. Peter’s Basilica to his burial place.
Francis reveled in being driven through crowds of faithful.
3:16 a.m. - Sealing of the coffin
Cardinal Kevin Farrell was presiding over the closing and sealing of the coffin in his role of camerlengo, or interim Vatican administrator. A white cloth was placed over the pope’s face, and a bag containing coins minted during his papacy were put in the coffin along with a one-page written account of his papacy.
The account of his papacy, called a rogito, summarizes his whole life’s story, from his childhood in Argentina as the son of parents with Italian heritage through his priesthood and promotions eventually to archbishop and cardinal in Buenos Aires — and then pope. It highlighted his “defense of innocents,” his encyclicals and also his illnesses.
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