World bids farewell to Pope who told people to ‘build bridges, not walls’

Pope Francis has been buried in Rome after a funeral ceremony and procession attended by hundreds of thousands of people and many heads of state.

The first South American pontiff passed away on Monday aged 88, marking the end of a 12-year pontificate.

As the Italian capital woke up to a hazy morning, teenage pilgrims, nuns and priests of all denominations filed silently down the streets leading to the Vatican.

Many of the streets around St Peter’s Basilica were closed – both to allow the flow of visitors and for security reasons, as more than a hundred foreign dignitaries were expected to join the funeral mass.

More than 8,000 Italian police of different branches were out in force, as well as firefighters, medics, canine unit handlers, volunteers, members of the armed forces and even park guards.

Many had been called in from all sides of Italy to be in Rome today – resulting in a rather joyous blend of accents from across the country, from the Sicilian to the Milanese.

By 08:00 local time (06:00 GMT) much of the square was already full.

Jessica, 22 and from Mexico, and Cyril, 20 and from the US, had arrived at dawn to secure a front row spot to the funeral mass.

“We never thought we’d be this close. We sacrificed a little sleep to be here but it’s worth it,” said Jessica.

She’s a Catholic and said her relatives in Mexico would “never believe it” when she told them she had been at the Vatican for the Pope’s funeral.

As heads of state and foreign dignitaries took their places to the right of the altar, hundreds of photographers in the press area on the roof of the colonnade snapped their cameras furiously, hoping to capture a candid image of US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose last meeting in February gave rise to a combative exchange in the Oval Office.

But soon after, as a striking photo of the two men sitting on two chairs inside St Peter’s began to circulate, it emerged that they had already met for around 15 minutes before the service began.

Later, Zelensky said the meeting “had potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results”.

No more details were shared, but some on social media later joked that, given the setting, the meeting had been a “miracle”.

Photos showed that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump, Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron had also all met in the Vatican.

From the bright red of the clergy’s habits to the muted grey and blue of nuns’ veils to the rainbow sun hats worn by pilgrims, all morning St Peter’s Square was a riot of colours glistening in the sun.

Hymns played out on giant speakers, occasionally drowned out by the sound of helicopters flying overhead, as drones and seagulls crisscrossed over Michelangelo’s dome.

Yet the voice of 91-year-old Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re rang loud and clear as he presided over the mass.

The service’s structure was very similar to that of any Catholic funeral mass, although the readings were done in many different languages and all hymns were sung in Latin.

Outside St Peter’s, a crowd the Vatican later said numbered 200,000 applauded as large screens showed Zelensky take his seat. There was also applause when the Pope’s simple wooden coffin was brought out.

The crowd’s applause marked some other salient moments – such as when Cardinal Re, as part of his homily, remembered the Pope’s commitment to migrants and peace.

He mentioned that the Pope’s first trip had been to the Italian island of Lampedusa, the port of arrival in Europe for many migrants who make the perilous journey across the Mediterranean, and recalled the mass the Pope celebrated at the US-Mexico border.

“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.”

The cardinal emphasised that Pope Francis had repeatedly urged the world to “build bridges, not walls”.

“It was good to hear that on a day when so many heads of state were on St Peter’s Square,” a woman called Maria told the BBC. She and her friend Grazia had flown in from Sardinia especially for the funeral.

“It was a message especially for them, I think, because it’s them who decide whether there’s going to be war or peace, not us… Let’s hope something made it through to them.”

“Otherwise them being here was just pure hypocrisy,” added Grazia.

During communion, a procession of white-clad priests made its way down St Peter’s Square, carrying golden chalices full of wafers for communion, as many in the large crowd moved forward to receive the hosts.

Soon after, Cardinal Re blessed the Pope’s coffin with holy water, before burning incense in a thurible – a symbol of cleansing – and the basilica’s bells tolled three times after the blessing of the coffin was carried out.

After some brief mingling, world leaders started making their way out of the basilica. Their motorcades then filed out of the Vatican.

Within an hour Trump was reported to be back on Air Force One, while other leaders held various informal meetings in Rome.

Meanwhile, the Pope’s coffin was carried through Rome in a slow procession to the church of Santa Maria Maggiore for burial.

Authorities said 140,000 had lined the streets, clapping and waving as the hearse – a repurposed white popemobile – crossed the Tiber river and drove past some of Rome’s most recognisable sights: the Colosseum, the Forum and the Altare della Patria national monument on Piazza Venezia.

Once the coffin reached Santa Maria Maggiore, it was taken inside and the live broadcast ceased.

Pope Francis was buried in the righthand side of the church, near a beloved icon of the Virgin Mary, at around 15:00.

Visitors, pilgrims and the clergy vacated St Peter’s Square quickly. Many could be seen minutes later in the numerous cafes, restaurants and pizzerias of the historic Borgo Pio neighbourhood nearby.

Grazia from Sardinia said the funeral had made a big impression on her.

“It was wonderful to meet in a single square with people who come from every corner of the world and to live a shared moment. This is the legacy of the Pope,” she said.

Officials said the day had unfolded without any major incidents.

“Four hundred thousand people shared a historic and emotional moment, and thanks to everyone’s commitment the day took place in a solemn and serene way, without critical issues,” said the head of the Civil Protection, Fabio Ciciliano.

The city of Rome and the Catholics of the world will now be preparing for the next momentous event – the conclave, which will select the next Pope.

A date has not yet been set but it is thought it could start as early as 5 or 6 May, after the Novemdiales – the mandatory nine days of mourning – are over.

With 135 cardinals set to attend, it will be the largest conclave in modern history and one of the most unpredictable.

Over the past few days, cardinals wandering around Rome were hounded by journalists trying to get a steer on what the conclave might yield.

After the funeral, too, the Cardinal of Tonga Soane Patita Paini Mafi was approached by the media as he made his way out of St Peter’s Square.

After a South American pope, is it time for an Asian one, he was asked.

Cardinal Mafi laughed and pointed to the sky. “Only He knows,” he said.