Pope Francis was remembered as a “pope among the people” during the funeral mass at St. Piotr in Rome, in which world leaders participated, including US President Donald Trump and the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump and Zelenskyy talked for just a few minutes before the funeral began, in accordance with a senior Ukrainian official. For the first time they saw one another since a public bruise in an oval office in February.
The couple met privately and conducted a “very productive discussion,” said the White House official. The chief of staff of Zelenskyy Andriy Yermak published on X that the conversation was “constructive”.
Zelenskyy published on X to thank Trump, calling him “a very symbolic meeting that can become historical if we achieve joint results.”
“We discussed a lot of one on one. Hoping for the results of everything we discussed. Protection of the life of our people. A full and unconditional suspension of weapons. A reliable and lasting peace that would prevent the break from another war,” he wrote.
Applause broke out when Zelenskyy, dressed in a black military -style outfit, which became its war basis, entered Piotra Square.
According to the palace, élysée was also a “positive exchange” between Trump, Zelenskyy, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron.
Trump hugged his hands with each the President of the European Council Anónio Costa and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen before the funeral began, said the EU official. They didn’t conduct a major conversation. Neither the EU President met nor had a telephone with Trump from the time he took office in January. The Commission of Von der Leyen negotiates business policy on behalf of all 27 EU Member States.
A spokesman for the president of the Commission said that on their short exchange von der Leyen and Trump they agreed to fulfill the president of the committee without providing details.
Dozens of other global leaders also participated in the mass, including the premiere of the Italian Giorgia Melons, right -wing president of Argentina Javier Milei and the leftist president of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
In the tribute to the deceased Pope, the Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 91, remembered Franciszek’s involvement towards migrants, refugees and marginalized, and the way he “really shared anxiety, suffering and hope of this globalization time.”
Francis was directed by “the belief that the Church is home to everyone, a house with always open doors”, reminding 47 foreign travels of the late Pope, including a visit in 2021 to Iraq and a visit to the US-MEKSYK border, where he made a mass.
“He often used the image of the Church as a field hospital after the battle, in which many were injured; the Church was determined to deal with people’s problems … Church capable of leaning into each person, regardless of their beliefs and state, and healing their wounds,” said the cardinal.
Royals, including the British prince William and the monarchs of Spanish, Sweden and Denmark, participated in the mass, in addition to heads of international institutions comparable to the UN. The former US President Joe Biden was also present.
The capital of the holiday estimates that about 200,000 people from around the world gathered in St. Peter for a funeral mass, including 220 cardinals and about 750 bishops and priests. Some of the faithful national flags were waving, while others kept banners with messages comparable to “Goodbye Father, Teacher and Poet” and “More You Have The The courage to be happy” – the title of one of the books of the late Pope.
Applause broke out at the end of the mass, when the Francis casket was placed on the open white Popemobile on a 5.5 -kilometer journey through Rome, past monuments, including Coliseum, to his last resting place in Santa Maria Maggiore, his favorite of many churches of the city.
He is the first pope in over a century, which was buried in front of the Vatican partitions.
While the burial was a non-public ceremony, the church shall be open later in order that mourners can provide respect to the deceased Pope, who lies under a marble tombstone written by “Franciscus”.
According to the Vatican, about 250,000 people passed through the basilica of St. In three days, Francis lay in the state before his coffin was sealed on Friday evening.
Last yr, Francis simplified the papal death rites. Archbishop Diego Ravelli, a master of apostolic ceremonies, said that the changes were to emphasise that “the funeral of the Roman pope is a pastor and a student of Christ, not a powerful person of this world.”
During 12 years on the papal throne, Francis tried to create a Catholic Church – which has 1.4 billion observing worldwide – more sympathetic and accessible, while coping with contemporary problems, comparable to climate change.
His death this week at the age of 88 caused a pour out of regrets from admirers, but in addition oppose critics, including influential members of the Maga Trump movement.
The funeral means the starting of a nine -day formal mourning period, after which to 135 qualifying cardinals under the age of 80 shall be blocked in the Vatican to decide on a conclave to decide on a brand new pope.
Earlier frontrinators are Cardinal Pietro Parolin, a deceased Pope secretary of state, Cardinal Luis Tagle from the Philippines and Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu.
The funeral homily RE shall be interpreted by many Catholics as spiritual suggestions for electoral cardinals about the features they need to search for in the latest pope.
Additional reports of Giulian Ricozzi in Rome, Christopher Miller in Kiev, Leila Abboud in Paris, Henry Foy in Brussels and James Politi in Washington
