Pope Francis' Funeral: World Bids Farewell to Pontiff in Rome

Final Tributes and Public Viewing

• 🕯️ The Pope's three-day lying in state concluded with the closing of St. Peter's Basilica doors, turning away hundreds of mourners.
• 🌍 Over 250,000 pilgrims, tourists, and locals paid their respects to Pope Francis during the public viewing.
• 👑 Notable figures including Emanuel Macron, Victor Orban, and President Lula Dilva were among the last to bid farewell.

Funeral Preparations and Security

• 📜 A centuries-old ritual will see the Pope's wooden coffin sealed with a white cloth and a summary of his papacy placed inside.
• 🚨 Security in Rome has been significantly heightened with 2,000 police and 400 traffic officers managing the extensive security plan.
• 🤝 The security operation involves broad collaboration between various volunteer and operational forces of the Italian state.

Burial Plans and Attendees

• ⛪ Breaking tradition, Pope Francis will be buried outside St. Peter's Basilica at his preferred church, Santa Maria Major.
• ⚰️ Unlike his predecessors, he will be interred in a single coffin.
• 🕊️ The funeral is expected to be attended by 50 heads of state, over a dozen royals, and approximately 200,000 faithful.