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Vatican Locks Down as World Gathers for Pope Francis’s Funeral
VATICAN CITY – As the world prepares to say goodbye to Pope Francis, the Vatican is finalising arrangements for what’s expected to be one of the largest gatherings in its recent history. Security has been intensified around St Peter’s Basilica, where the pontiff’s open coffin has drawn tens of thousands of mourners in recent days.
More than 50 heads of state and 10 monarchs, including US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, are set to attend the funeral in Rome on Saturday. Many are expected to arrive on Friday ahead of the historic service in St Peter’s Square.
Authorities have locked down the area surrounding the Vatican, deploying rooftop snipers, imposing a drone ban, and placing fighter jets on standby. Additional security checkpoints will come into effect by Friday evening.
Francis’s coffin, which has been on display for public viewing, will be sealed during a private ceremony led by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo currently overseeing Vatican affairs. The ceremony, known as the “Rite of the Sealing of the Coffin,” marks the final stage before burial.
The 88-year-old pope died on Monday after suffering complications from pneumonia, just weeks after making a surprise appearance during Easter Sunday mass. Visitors to his lying-in-state recalled seeing a seemingly healthy Francis at the event, making his passing even more shocking.
Condolences have poured in from around the globe for the Argentine pontiff, the first from Latin America, who led the Catholic Church for 12 years. Known for his humility and outspoken support for society’s most vulnerable, Francis will be remembered as a reformer who brought the papacy closer to the people.
His final speech condemned contempt for migrants and the marginalised—issues he championed throughout his time as pope.
Saturday’s funeral is expected to draw delegations from 130 countries, including Argentina’s President Javier Milei and Britain’s Prince William. A no-fly zone will be enforced over the city during the ceremony.
Francis’s body will then be taken to Rome’s Santa Maria Maggiore basilica, his favourite church, where he will be buried in a modest tomb marked only by the name “Franciscus.” The Vatican confirmed that a group of “poor and needy” will be present to greet the coffin.
Public visits to the tomb will begin Sunday morning.
Attention will then turn to the conclave to elect a new pope. Cardinals from across the world have already begun daily meetings in Rome. The conclave must begin between 15 and 20 days after Francis’s death, and only cardinals under the age of 80 – currently 135 – are eligible to vote.
Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who served as Francis’s Secretary of State, is widely tipped as the frontrunner, ahead of Filipino Luis Antonio Tagle, Ghana’s Peter Turkson, and Matteo Zuppi of Bologna.
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Sourced:EWN
Picture: USA Today
