World leaders reminded of Pope Francis’s calls for peace at Vatican funeral
Pope Francis’s calls for peace have been repeated at his funeral, as world leaders including the US and Ukraine presidents attended a gathering of 200,000 to mourn his loss.
US leader Donald Trump and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy were pictured meeting inside St Peter’s Basilica ahead of the late pontiff’s requiem mass.
The face-to-face encounter was the pair’s first since their tempestuous clash in the White House at the end of February.
Good meeting. We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out. Very symbolic meeting that has potential to… pic.twitter.com/q4ZhVXCjw0
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 26, 2025
In an image, the presidents were seen sitting on chairs leaning in towards each other as they spoke, while another picture showed the pair speaking with Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Mr Zelensky had been applauded by the crowd as he stepped out of the basilica to take his seat for the mass.
The leaders joined royals and other dignitaries for Francis’s final farewell on Saturday, as crowds packed St Peter’s Square to see his coffin and pay their last respects.
Addressing those gathered in the square in front of the basilica, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re repeated Pope Francis’s mantra to “build bridges, not walls”.
The cardinal told the congregation: “Pope Francis incessantly raised his voice imploring peace and calling for reason and honest negotiation to find possible solutions.
“War, he said, results in the death of people and the destruction of homes, hospitals and schools. War always leaves the world worse than it was before: it is always a painful and tragic defeat for everyone.
“’Build bridges, not walls’ was an exhortation he repeated many times.”
The White House said Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky “had a very productive discussion” while the Ukrainian president posted online that it was “a very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic”.
Francis was a religious leader described as “a pope among the people”, Cardinal Battista Re said, whose death sparked tributes from across the globe.
While he noted that the late pontiff’s health had been poor in recent times, he said the lasting image of him will be of his appearance on Easter Sunday, when he gave blessings to a grateful crowd in the square.
The cardinal said this image “will remain etched in our memory, in our eyes and our hearts”.
The 88-year-old, who died on Easter Monday, has been hailed for his leadership of the Church, proving popular among young people and known for his outreach to those most in need in society.
The Vatican said 200,000 people attended the funeral.
Others present included President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris as well as Britain's Prince William — who attended on behalf of King Charles, UK foreign secretary David Lammy, Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and Michelle O’Neill, the First Minister of Northern Ireland.
Speaking ahead of the mass, Mr Higgins also focused on the Pope’s pleas for peace.
He said: “In attending the funeral and celebrating the life of Pope Francis, it is important to stress his work on our shared humanity and on the importance of peace, sustainability and of rights.”
The seating plan was based on a complex order of precedence, with Argentina – the country of the Pope’s birth – and Italy, due to his status as bishop of Rome, at the front.
Other sovereigns, heads of state, and heads of government were then seated in alphabetical order of their countries’ names in the French language – used because French is considered the language of diplomacy.
Speaking to the Pope’s ability to connect with people, Cardinal Battista Re said: “He had great spontaneity and an informal way of addressing everyone, even those far from the Church.
“Rich in human warmth and deeply sensitive to today’s challenges, Pope Francis truly shared the anxieties, sufferings and hopes of this time.
“He gave of himself by comforting and encouraging us with a message capable of reaching people’s hearts in a direct and immediate way.”
Crowds at the funeral applauded as the pontiff’s coffin both emerged from and then was brought back into the basilica after the open-air mass.
Some of those who travelled from the UK and Ireland told of the importance of being present in-person to celebrate Francis’s life and reign as pope.
Couple Kate Wilkinson and Brian Casey, had been due to visit this weekend anyway but were determined to make it to see the funeral on Saturday.
Ms Wilkinson, a 33-year-old charity chief executive from Manchester, said: “It’s an incredible opportunity to witness history and pray for this just amazing Pope.” Having seen his remains in the basilica, she said: “I think it’s the most amazing moment of my life to be honest, to be able to see and witness that and be part of that history and to be there right in front of him.” She said it was a moment of “real honour and privilege” to be in Rome for the funeral.
She added: “It’s a moment of thanks, of real thanksgiving for all that he has done for me personally. He’s the pope that I grew up with.”
Mr Casey, 41, a historian from Galway, said they both felt it was important to “come here to pay homage to a man that we both have huge respect for and indeed affection for and love for”.
Describing the mood in the city, he said: “The atmosphere has been one of yes sadness, but also celebration of a life well lived and of a man that has done a huge amount for the world.
“Having this old man being such a very important moral figure in a time of challenge for the world, I think we will miss him as the answer for many problems we have in the world today.”
Following the funeral, Francis’s remains were taken by motorcade through the streets of Rome as crowds lined the streets.
The Vatican confirmed in a video on Saturday afternoon that Pope Francis had been buried in a simple underground tomb at a private ceremony at St Mary Major basilica in the centre of Rome.
He is the first pope to be buried outside of the Vatican in 100 years.
Some 250,000 mourners paid their respects to Pope Francis over a three-day lying-in-state, which ran overnight from Wednesday due to high demand.
While Saturday is the first of nine official days of mourning, speculation regarding the next pope is likely to begin soon after the funeral.
Conclave, the secret meeting of cardinals to elect Francis’s successor, is thought likely to begin on May 5.
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