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Crowds bid farewell to Pope Francis, over 100 foreign delegations in Rome for funeral

Politiko 2025-04-25 15:47:43

Crowds bid farewell to Pope Francis, over 100 foreign delegations in Rome for
Crowds of believers continue to flock to St. Peter's Basilica to bid farewell to Pope Francis, while over 100 foreign delegations have arrived in the Italian capital to pay their respects to the late leader of the Catholic Church. His funeral will be held on Saturday.

An urgent message from the Italian civil protection informs that access to St. Peter's Square will be closed at 6:00 p.m., while the gates of the Basilica will close at 7:00 p.m. So far, over 150,000 faithful have paid their respects, despite long queues.

Following the controversy raised by selfies in front of the Pope's coffin, authorities have asked visitors to respect the solemnity of the occasion and avoid using their phones while passing in front of the body of Pope Francis.

Historical memory and international presence
The event is being compared to previous papal funerals. In 1978, about 100,000 people attended the ceremony for Pope Paul VI, while in 2005, Pope John Paul II attracted about four million mourners to Rome. In contrast, Pope Benedict XVI in January 2023 was followed by about 50,000 people in the square and was followed by 136,000 online viewers on the official Vatican broadcast.

More than 130 official delegations are expected to attend Saturday's ceremony, including 50 heads of state, 10 members of royal families, as well as many prime ministers, ministers and ambassadors. High-ranking figures such as French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as well as Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky will be present, in an important international political context.

Funeral and financial cost
The ceremony will be held in St. Peter's Square and will be followed by a procession that will pass through the heart of Rome, including the Roman Forum and the Colosseum, to the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, where the burial will take place.

The Vatican has not disclosed the cost of the funeral, but past experience suggests that the cost of such a ceremony is very high. In 1978, the death of two popes and the conclave that followed cost the Vatican over $20 million (equivalent to $101 million today). In 2005, the funeral of John Paul II and the election of a successor cost about $9 million.

Despite the influx of tourists and donations, the Vatican has faced severe financial difficulties in recent years. Last year alone, the Church reported a budget deficit of $87 million. Pope Francis has been personally involved in a series of economic reforms that have often sparked opposition within the Roman Curia, including salary cuts for the Church's top hierarchy.