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The funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday drew a crowd to St. Peter's Square that included kings and queens, presidents and prime ministers, cardinals and archbishops, as well as hundreds of thousands of devoted followers touched by his commitment to the poor, his defense of the world's migrants, and his outreach to those long marginalized by the church.
Though the famously humble pontiff requested simplicity in his wooden coffin and final resting place, the funeral Mass still reflected the grandeur and traditions of the Vatican. See photos below of some of the highlights of the day honoring the leader known as "the People's Pope."
Crowd fills St. Peter's Square for Pope Francis' funeral
An estimated 250,000 people attended the funeral service outside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.
Members of the clergy among the crowd attending the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square on April 26, 2025 in Vatican City.
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A statue gazes down on clergy members in red and white vestments at the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square.
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An aerial view of the crowd at St. Peter's Square during Pope Francis's funeral on April 26, 2025.
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Pallbearers carry the coffin of Pope Francis
Pallbearers carry the coffin of Pope Francis at his funeral service at St. Peter's.
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A line of clergy and pallbearers carrying Pope Francis' coffin file into St Peter's Basilica at the end of the funeral ceremony.
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World leaders watch from the front row as pallbearers carry the coffin of Pope Francis at his funeral.
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Church regalia on display
With Swiss Guards in the foreground, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re speaks at the funeral Mass for Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square.
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Members of the clergy wait in their seats ahead of the funeral for Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square.
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A sea of red vestments at the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square.
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Members of the clergy among the crowd attending the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square.
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High ranking clergy emerge from St. Peter's Basilica for the funeral Mass of Pope Francis.
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Cardinals of the Eastern and Oriental Catholic Churches arrive to pay a last moment of respect in front of the coffin of Pope Francis during the funeral ceremony.
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Youssef Absi, Patriarch of Antioch and All the Orient, of Alexandria and of Jerusalem, and head of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, blesses with myrrh the coffin of late Pope Francis during the funeral ceremony.
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Cardinals arrive at the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square.
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An Orthodox priest snaps a photo in St. Peter's Square.
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President Trump and world leaders in attendance
The Vatican said delegations from about 130 countries would attend the ceremony, including about 50 heads of state and 10 reigning monarchs. President Trump and first lady Melania Trump were there, and former President Joe Biden also attended. Before the funeral, Mr. Trump met privately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
France's President Emmanuel Macron shakes hands with President Trump ahead of the funeral for Pope Francis at St. Peter's Square.
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President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump at the funeral of Pope Francis.
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President Trump and his wife Melania Trump stand with other world leaders during the funeral ceremony for Pope Francis.
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President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are shown meeting ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican.
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Former President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden arrive for he funeral for Pope Francis at St Peter's Square.
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Prayers from the faithful for Pope Francis
The faithful pray at the funeral Mass for the late Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square.
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Clergy pray by the coffin of Pope Francis during his funeral.
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Nuns gather for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City.
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Priests offer Communion to those attending the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican City.
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As Pope Francis' funeral took place at the Vatican, Catholic believers attended a requiem Mass for him in Dili, East Timor, where he visited last year.
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Funeral Mass and homily honoring "a pope among the people"
The Mass was led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the College of Cardinals, who also delivered a highly personal homily.
"He was a pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone," Re said of Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88. "The guiding thread of his mission was also the conviction that the church is a home for all, a home with its doors always open."
The dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, prays at the closed coffin during the funeral Mass for Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square.
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Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re speaks at the funeral of Pope Francis.
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Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re blesses the coffin of Pope Francis during the funeral ceremony.
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Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re blesses the coffin of Pope Francis during the funeral ceremony.
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Crowds pay their last respects to Pope Francis
After the funeral Mass, the coffin of Pope Francis was taken in a procession through the streets of Rome to his final resting place, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major). In his last will and testament, Francis asked to be buried in that fifth-century church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, where he went to pray before and after his foreign travels as pontiff.
A nun attends the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square.
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Crowds gather to watch the procession of the Popemobile carrying the coffin of Pope Francis through the streets of Rome to his final resting place.
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People gather along streets near the Colosseum to watch the funeral procession.
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Members of the clergy and a representative group described by the Vatican as the "poor and needy" welcome the coffin of Pope Francis as it arrives at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for burial.
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The coffin of Pope Francis is carried by pallbearers into Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome for his burial.
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"Grazie Papa Francisco!"
A man in Rome holds up a newspaper with the headline "Grazie Papa Francisco!" (Thank you, Pope Francis) on the day of the the pope's funeral, April 26, 2025.
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Paula Cohen is the senior managing editor of CBSNews.com, where she oversees coverage of breaking news and stories on a wide range of topics from across the U.S. and around the world.
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