Thousands attend Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square

Thousands of mourners packed into St. Peter’s Square Saturday morning for the funeral of Pope Francis.

Some 100,000 faithful watched on as the Pope’s body was carried into the Vatican plaza at 10 a.m., including dozens who spent the night sleeping on the concrete.

The guest list included President Trump and First Lady Melania; Prince William and Princess Kate; and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The funeral ceremony follows the three days of public viewing of his body inside the basilica, which was kept open all night to accommodate the staggering flock of mourners who had come to pay their final respects.

Pope Francis’ body lies in a coffin in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on April 25, 2025. AFP via Getty Images

After the pontiff’s body was carried from a private viewing at the Vatican, Francis’ simple wooden casket was placed on an inclined ramp on the main altar of the 16th-century basilica, facing the pews — not on an elevated bier as his predecessors were before him.

The break in tradition was in keeping with Francis’ own wishes for all the rituals surrounding a papal funeral to be simplified and reflect the pope’s role as a simple pastor, not a world leader.

Following his funeral, the pope will be buried in a niche within the St. Mary Major Basilica, near his favorite Madonna icon.

Mourners lined up to pay respects to Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square on April 24, 2025. Getty Images

Francis died Monday at 88 after a stroke, following a long battle with his health.

He surprised parishioners at the beginning of the month when he was wheeled out with an oxygen tank at the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square, marking his first public appearance since he was hospitalized on Feb. 14 for bronchitis, which developed into a bout of double pneumonia.

Francis seemed to regain his strength and led this year’s Easter Sunday mass, walking down the very same aisle where the procession marched his body for public viewing later in the week.

His death capped a 12-year pontificate characterized by his concern for the poor and his message of inclusion, but he was also criticized by some conservatives who felt alienated by his progressive outlook.