World leaders to descend on Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican’s St Peter’s Square

Colleen Barry

2 Min Read

5 hours ago

Updated

5 hours ago

Pope Francis's body will lie in state until Friday evening, when it will be sealed for his funeral. (AP PHOTO) Credit: AAP

Heads of state and royalty will start converging on Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican’s St Peter’s Square, but the group of poor people who will meet his casket in a small cross-town basilica are more in keeping with Francis’ humble persona and disdain for pomp.

US President Donald Trump and Argentine President Javier Milei are among the leaders arriving Friday, the last day Argentine pope will lie in state in St Peter’s Basilica before his coffin is sealed in the evening in preparation for his funeral on Saturday.

The Vatican said 130 delegations are confirmed, including 50 heads of state and 10 reigning sovereigns.

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PAYING RESPECTS

Tens of thousands of mourners have waited hours in line to bid farewell to Francis, who died on Monday after suffering a stroke at age 88.

By Thursday evening, more than 90,000 mourners had filed past Francis’s open coffin placed in front of the basilica’s main altar.

CARDINALS MEET

The work of the conclave to choose a new pope won’t start until at least May 5, after nine days of public mourning.

Cardinals have been also been arriving in Rome, with 113 meeting Thursday morning to discuss church business.

They will meet again Friday before taking a break for the weekend.

“We are getting ready, but we still have not entered into the more intense phase. We are in the organisational phase,” Italian Cardinal Fernando Filoni said on Thursday.

PAPAL BURIAL

In keeping with Francis’ embrace of the marginalised, the Vatican said a group of poor and needy people would meet the Pope’s coffin to pay homage to him when it arrives at St Mary Major basilica for burial on Saturday.

The tomb is being prepared behind a wooden barrier within the basilica that he chose to be near an icon of the Madonna that he revered and often prayed before.

Photos released by the Vatican on Friday show the marble tombstone flat against the pavement, with the simple engraving in Latin that he requested in his last testament: “Franciscus”.