World leaders join thousands of mourners for Pope’s funeral
After three days on view at St. Peter’s Basilica, the pope will be taken to St. Mary Major today, where he will be entombed.
More than 500,000 people are expected to attend the funeral for Pope Francis, who was loved by many around the world for railing against unbridled capitalism and climate change and for his work with the poor and dispossessed.
More than 160 foreign delegations are attending the funeral, including President Donald Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden, as well as with Britain’s Prince William, French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Francis’ funeral and interment come after the pontiff lay in state in St. Peter’s Basilica for the three days to Friday. More than 250,000 well-wishers and mourners filed past his coffin to pay their respects.
Vatican and Italian authorities will be on high alert with thousands of police and special forces on the ground, aerial surveillance, and an anti-drone military unit in the area.
The Holy See is expected to release details of the upcoming conclave — the ancient cardinals’ vote for the next pope — after Francis’ funeral has finished.
Police and the authorities have told NBC News that the biggest challenge of today is that procession route with Francis’ coffin will move at walking pace through the heart of Rome after the funeral at St. Peter’s Basilica.
It will travel from around 4 miles from St. Peter’s Square to his final resting place in Santa Maria Major, a church he visited 125 times, including on the first day that he was named Pope. He prayed there often.
At the basilica in the center of Rome, there will be a crowd of people there, including poor people, marginalized people, lining the steps as he enters that Basilica.
This is what Pope Francis designed. This is what he wanted, to end the day among the people, among the marginalized communities that he cared so deeply about.
NBC
