Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky held “productive” talks in the Vatican, shortly before the historic funeral of Pope Francis played out in front of around 200,000 mourners
Pictured face-to-face for a spontaneous meeting in St Peter’s Basilica, the pair held “productive discussions”, a White House official said. They were later joined by Sir Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron.
Soon after the meeting, the solemn funeral brought closure to a 12-year papacy marked by humility, simplicity, and the championing of the world’s poorest.
Leading the service, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re echoed one of Francis’ strongest criticisms of Mr Trump, as the US president watched on alongside major world leaders.
The Cardinal made a call to “build bridges, not walls”, in a speech which called for compassion towards migrants, an end to wars, and action on global climate change – Francis’ favourite political themes.
Thousands now hope to catch a short glimpse of Francis’ wooden coffin as it passes to its final burial place in the Basilica of St Mary Major.
The 88-year-old Pontiff died on Monday from a stroke, followed by several days of mourning for the Argentinian.
Burial to take place in private
After arriving at St Mary Major’s basilica, Pope Francis will now be buried in private.
Francis left instructions asking to be buried in a simple underground tomb in the church – which lies a neighbourhood between the Colosseum and Termini train station.
This makes Francis the first pontiff in more than a century not to be buried at St Peter’s Basilica.
Athena Stavrou26 April 2025 12:05
Report: Pope Francis wanted to ‘build bridges, not walls’, cardinal tells funeral in apparent swipe at Trump
The cardinal leading the pope’s funeral mass appeared to criticise US president Donald Trump in his homily.
“‘Build bridges, not walls’ was an exhortation [Francis] repeated many times,” said Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, as a crowd of hundreds of thousands of people watched in St Peter’s Square in Vatican City and millions more worldwide listened.
Mr Trump was seen seated looking solemn in the front row for the service for a pontiff, who pointedly disagreed with him on a variety of issues, mostly the pope’s compassion for migrants, whom the US president has repeatedly tried to deport.
Jane Dalton’s full report can be read here:
Alex Croft26 April 2025 12:03
Pope’s coffin arrives at St Mary Major
The Pope’s coffin has arrived at St Mary Major’s basilica.
He will be buried in private in a simple underground tomb in the church.
A “group of poor and needy people” will be present on the steps leading to Saint Mary Major to pay their last respects to Francis before he is entombed, the Holy See said on Thursday.
Athena Stavrou26 April 2025 11:56
Pictured: Crowds look on as Pope’s coffin travels through Rome
Athena Stavrou26 April 2025 11:53
Pope’s coffin passes major landmarks
Pope Francis’ coffin is now passing the Colosseum.
The Pontiff’s body is travelling through the streets of Rome to St Mary Major’s basilica.
Thousands have lined the streets to cheer for the late Pope’s simple wooden coffin as he passed by.
Mapped: The Pope’s route to his final resting place
Pope Francis’ coffin is now being taken to his final resting place in St Mary Major Basilica.
The Pontiff’s body is being taken through the streets of Rome, about 4km from St Peter’s Basilica where his funeral mass has just taken place.
The route crosses the river Tiber and passes Piazza Venezia followed by the Colosseum.
The procession will be at walking pace to allow people to bid farewell to the pope on his final journey and is expected to take around 30 minutes, depending on crowds.
Thousands line the streets to say farewell to Pope
Thousands have lined the streets of Rome to say a final farewell to Pope Francis.
Applause from crowds could be heard as Francis’ coffin passed in his Popemobile to the St Mary Major Basilica in Rome.
He will pass famous landmarks including the Colosseum and Piazza Venezia on the route to his final resting place.
The 4km journey is expected to take around half an hour.
The route has been barricaded for security reasons, and marks the final time the Pope will be “among the people”, as he requested.
Athena Stavrou26 April 2025 11:35
The Independent’s world affairs editor Sam Kiley reports live from The Vatican
Alex Croft26 April 2025 11:29
Funeral mass ends – what is next?
Pope Francis’ funeral mass has concluded, and his body will now be taken to his final resting place.
Francis has chosen to be buried in St Mary Major Basilica in Rome, about 4km from St Peter’s Basilica.
The coffin will be taken through the streets of Rome to an underground tomb, as per his instructions.
The procession will be at walking pace to allow people to bid farewell to the pope on his final journey.
This is expected to take around 30 minutes, depending on crowds.
Pope Francis to be buried with heartwarming note
A note placed in Pope Francis’s coffin before his funeral pays tribute to his courage, his love of the poor and his “dialogue with Muslims and representatives of other religions”.
It refers to the 266th pope as “the beloved Shepherd of the Church”.
World leaders attended the funeral in front of St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, where hundreds of thousands of spectators and mourners gathered.
In line with tradition, a bag of coins and medals minted during his papacy, as well as a “Rogito” – or deed – summarising his life were also placed inside the coffin.
The deed, a type of obituary written in Latin and sealed inside a metal cylinder, says he “left to all a marvellous witness of humanity, of holy living, and of universal fatherhood” and that the “entire Christian Community, especially the poor, praised God” for his work.
When he was a cardinal in his native Argentina, he was “a simple and much-beloved pastor in his Archdiocese”, it says.
Alex Croft26 April 2025 11:25