Latest news with #SistineChapelChoir
The Herald Scotland
10-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Pope Leo XIV's first full day as pontiff: Latest on first mass, more
His selection by the 133 cardinals in the two-day conclave to choose the late Pope Francis' successor came as a surprise to papal experts and onlookers, who did not expect an American to emerge victorious. He selected the name Leo XIV and greeted a roaring crowd at the Vatican on May 8. "You have called me to carry the cross and to be blessed with that mission," he said in English at Mass on May 9, after speaking only Latin and Spanish the day of his election. "And I know I can rely on each and every one of you to walk with me." More: Pope Leo XIV celebrates first Mass with cardinals Leo celebrated his first Mass as pope in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel on May 9. The multilingual service began as Leo processed in and sang in Latin along with the Vatican's Sistine Chapel Choir, one of the oldest and most prestigious in the world. The first two readings were delivered in English and Spanish. Leo - who speaks English, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese, and can read Latin and German, according to the National Catholic Reporter - began his homily by addressing the cardinals in English. "You have called me to carry the cross and to be blessed with that mission," he said. "And I know I can rely on each and every one of you to walk with me." Leo delivered the rest of the homily in Italian. He invoked his predecessor saying Pope Francis often taught that Catholics "are called to bear witness to our joyful faith in Christ the Saviour," the Vatican News reported. Leo said this "missionary outreach is desperately needed" in the many places where Christians "are mocked, opposed, despised or at best tolerated and pitied." - N'dea Yancey-Bragg
USA Today
09-05-2025
- General
- USA Today
Pope Leo XIV celebrates first Mass with cardinals
Pope Leo XIV celebrates first Mass with cardinals Pope Leo XIV marked his first full day as leader of the 1.4-billion-member Roman Catholic Church by celebrating Mass in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel on Friday with cardinals. Mass got underway as Pope Leo XIV processed into the Sistine Chapel and sang in Latin along with the Vatican's Sistine Chapel Choir, one of the oldest and most prestigious in the world. The first two readings were delivered in English and Spanish. Leo opened his homily with a few words in English addressing the cardinals and delivered the rest in Italian. Leo speaks English, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese, and can read Latin and German, according to the National Catholic Reporter. "You have called me to carry the cross and to be blessed with that mission," he said in English. 'And I know I can rely on each and every one of you to walk with me." Leo also invoked Pope Francis, saying in Italian that his predecessor often taught that Catholics "are called to bear witness to our joyful faith in Christ the Saviour," the Vatican News reported. Leo said this "missionary outreach is desperately needed" in the many places where "the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent. Settings where other securities are preferred, like technology, money, success, power, or pleasure." After the Mass, Leo will have lunch with the cardinals who elected him and they will then be free to leave the Vatican and return to their homes around the world. Also on the pope's schedule, Leo plans to lead the Regina Coeli prayer from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at 12 p.m. local time on Sunday, May 11, according to Vatican News. On Monday, May 12, he will meet with journalists in the Vatican. History made with new Pope Leo XIV The first Mass comes less than a day after 133 cardinal electors selected Leo, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, as the 267th pope of the Catholic Church in a historic first. The 69-year-old Chicago native is the first pontiff born in the United States. Throughout his career, Leo was primarily a missionary in Peru before receiving dual Peruvian nationality and serving as a bishop in Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. He became a cardinal only in 2023. Following a two-day papal conclave, Leo was elected as the successor to Pope Francis — who was the first pope from Latin America and died on April 21 at the age of 88. The selection surprised the Roman Catholic world as Leo was not viewed a frontrunner for the papacy. After white smoke emerged from a chimney atop the Sistine Chapel on May 8, there was a brief moment of uncertainty when the new pope's name was announced to a huge crowd in St. Peter's Square before people erupted in cheers. "Peace be with you all," he told the crowd in fluent Italian. Leo also spoke in Spanish but not English in his address. How a Chicago native became pope: See Robert Francis Prevost's path to making history Prevost was ordained in 1981 as a member of the Order of Saint Augustine. He then became a pastor of vocations and director of missions for the Augustinian order in Chicago and worked in Peru for several years teaching canon law. Prevost also served as a parish pastor, diocesan official, seminary teacher and vicar. He served two terms as the head of the Augustinian order, until 2013. In 2014, Francis appointed him to an administrative posts in Peru, and became bishop here, as well vice president of the Peruvian Bishops Conference until 2023. His most recent position, prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, was a powerful one: He was responsible for selecting many of the world's bishops. He was elevated by Francis to the rank of Cardinal in September 2023. Prevost succeeds a groundbreaking, pioneering pope whose progressive positions, emphasis on inclusivity and ability to connect with people all over the world, from all backgrounds and across different faiths, made him a beloved religious figure, even in secular realms. Prevost has attracted interest from his peers because of his quiet style and support for Francis, especially his commitment to social justice issues. The name Leo Prevost chose a name used by 13 others before him. 'Leo is a powerful choice," said Margaret Thompson, an associate professor of history at Syracuse University. "Leo XIII is considered the father of Catholic social teaching. This signals a potential emphasis on justice, labor, and the church's role in the modern world.' More: Honor Pope Francis' legacy, papal history with tribute book from USA TODAY The last pope to take the name Leo led the Church from 1878 to 1903. Leo XIII was known for his devoted focus to social justice issues, and is often credited with laying the foundation for modern Catholic social teaching. Bruce Morrill, a distinguished professor of theology and Roman Catholic studies at Vanderbilt University, called Prevost's name choice "highly significant" and likely a signal of his support for social justice. Contributing: Reuters
Times
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Pope Francis's ancient funeral music was silent on Catholic history
The music for Pope Francis's funeral had a fundamental simplicity. In contrast to the architectural splendour of St Peter's Basilica, the enveloping majesty of Bernini's great piazza, the rhetorical power of the Latin requiem texts and, perhaps most of all, the earthly pomp and vaunting ambition of the assembled world leaders, the simple singing felt more of an apt reflection of the man beneath the mitre. Most of it was sung unaccompanied, the rest quietly backed by an organ, by the 20 men and 30 boys of the Sistine Chapel Choir — probably the oldest choral institution in existence, with roots that can be traced back 1,600 years. The choir has had uneven standards in recent times. Connoisseurs wouldn't choose to buy its recordings in
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Watch Pope Francis' full funeral video as world mourns late Vatican leader
About 250,000 people attended the funeral service for Pope Francis on Saturday morning in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, before the late leader of the Catholic Church was transported to the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore) in Rome to be buried. While the ceremony followed many traditions developed over centuries of church history, there were some details uniquely chosen by Pope Francis. Watch the ceremony here on CBS News, and find answers to some of your questions about the historic event below. What time did Pope Francis' funeral start? Pope Francis's funeral began shortly after 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. Eastern, 1 a.m. Pacific) at the Vatican, outside St. Peter's Basilica. The ceremony was presided over by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. The funeral followed the Vatican's liturgical book for papal funeral rites, called the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis. It was broken down into three separate phases, or "stations": The preparation of the body, the viewing of the body, and then the burial. An updated edition of the ancient papal funeral rites was approved by Pope Francis last year, changing some longstanding traditions, including the type of coffin used. Saturday's service began with music sung by the Sistine Chapel Choir. The first reading was done by American Vatican News journalist, Kielce Gussie. During the homily, Cardinal Re said "mercy and the joys of the gospel" were two priorities of Pope Francis, "in contrast to the culture of waste." "He often reminded us... that we all belong to the same human family and that no one is saved alone," Re said. Re said Pope Francis "raised his voice, imploring peace," because "war always leaves the world worse than it was before. It is always a painful and tragic defeat for everyone." He said Pope Francis encouraged people to "build bridges, not walls." Who attended Pope Francis' funeral? Pope Francis' funeral was attended by thousands of members of the public, as well as religious leaders and heads of state from around the world. President Trump and first lady Melania Trump attended, as did former President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden. When Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife Olena Zelenska arrived to take their seats ahead of the service, the gathered crowd erupted in applause. Mr. Trump, who is trying to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, met privately with Zelenskyy earlier in the day. The Vatican said there were delegations from about 130 countries at the ceremony, with 50 heads of state and 10 reigning monarchs in attendance, including: Britain's Prince William U.K. Prime Minister Keir StarmerFrench President Emmanuel Macron Germany's President Frank-Walter Steinmeier Outgoing German Chancellor Olaf ScholzItalian Prime Minister Giorgia MeloniUnited Nations Secretary General Antonio GuterresEU Commission chief Ursula von der LeyenEuropean Council President Antonio CostaBrazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da SilvaArgentina's President Javier Milei Honduras' President President Xiomara CastroPhilippines' President Ferdinand Marcos president Droupadi MurmuPresident of the Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange TouaderaPresident of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Felix TshisekediPresident of Cape Verde, Jose Maria Neves Sen. Susan Collins led a bipartisan delegation of Catholic U.S. senators to attend the pope's funeral. Where is Pope Francis buried? At the end of the funeral service, there was a final commendation prayer, then a procession began to bring the pope's coffin to the Basilica of St. Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore), in Rome, for burial. In a break from tradition, Pope Francis chose to be buried outside the Vatican at the basilica where he often went to pray during his papacy. Seven earlier popes are buried there, but he is the first in centuries. The coffin was transported through the city in an open-topped popemobile, and huge crowds gathered along the procession route to pay their final respects to the late pontiff. Those gathered outside St. Mary Major cheered as the procession arrived. Many popes have been laid to rest inside the Vatican, in the Vatican grottoes, a system of vaults on the lower level of St. Peter's Basilica — but in his last will and testament, Francis requested he be laid to rest in the church that had special meaning for him. "I wish that my last earthly journey conclude precisely in this ancient Marian sanctuary where I went for prayer at the beginning and end of each Apostolic journey to confidently entrust my intentions to the Immaculate Mother and thank Her for her docile and maternal care," Francis said in his will. "The tomb must be in the earth; simple, without particular decoration and with the only inscription: Franciscus," he wrote. Burial rites were to be led at the site by the Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, Cardinal Kevin Farrell. Among those that were gathered for the arrival of the pope's coffin at St. Mary Major were individuals from communities Pope Francis supported, including prisoners with special permission, homeless people, members of the trans community and victims and survivors of sex trafficking, the Vatican said. When will they choose the next pope? After the funeral, nine days of mourning began, called the Novemdiales. Eligible cardinals under the age of 80 — currently a group of about 135 — will gather in Rome to prepare for the papal conclave, the centuries-old process to select the next pope. The conclave usually begins around two weeks after a pope's death, so in this case, likely in early May. During the conclave, eligible cardinals will isolate themselves and, behind closed doors in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel, they will cast ballots for their choice, repeating the process until a candidate receives a two-thirds-plus-one majority. The ballots, which are paper, are burned after each round of voting. If no choice has been reached, the ballots from that round send up black smoke from the chimney as they burn. When a new pope is finally selected, a cloud of white smoke is sent up to signal the momentous news to the world. 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CNN
26-04-2025
- General
- CNN
Funeral of Pope Francis begins with world leaders among thousands gathering
Update: Date: 2 min ago Title: Book of the Gospels placed on Pope Francis' coffin Content: An open Book of the Gospels has been placed on top of Pope Francis' closed coffin. A sign of the times, the majority of the crowd raise cellphones above their heads as the service begins. Update: Date: 2 min ago Title: Cardinals funnel out of St. Peter's Basilica Content: The College of Cardinals are proceeding out of the basilica into St. Peter's Square. They are walking in order of seniority, preceded by an ornate Book of the Gospels, and will kiss the altar before going to their seats. The last person to enter the square will be the Celebrant, Cardinal Giovanni Re. Update: Date: 9 min ago Title: Funeral service opens with introductory rites Content: The funeral of Pope Francis has begun with an antiphon – a short musical chant – and psalm. Like most of the service today, the text is in Latin. 'Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei,' sung the choir and congregation. (Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.) The Sistine Chapel Choir – the prestigious group of 20 men and 30 or so boys who are the pope's personal choir – intones Psalm 64: 'Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion; et tibi reddetur votum in Ierusalem.' (Praise is due to you in Zion, O God. To you we pay our vows in Jerusalem.) Update: Date: 7 min ago Title: Pope Francis' coffin is being moved out to St. Peter's Square Content: After lying in state in St. Peter's Basilica for three days, the coffin of Pope Francis is being carried out into the piazza outside. The coffin, preceded by a plain Book of the Gospels, is being carried through the Holy Door of the basilica into the square. The coffin is being carried by the Gentlemen of His Holiness – butlers or valets to the pope. The service will begin shortly. Update: Date: 11 min ago Title: Crowd applauds Zelensky as he enters St. Peter's Square Content: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has just left St. Peter's Basilica and entered the square. The crowd, mostly hushed until now, just broke into applause. Update: Date: 15 min ago Title: A more diverse crowd than the last papal funeral Content: Looking around, it's clear this is a much more global crowd than we've seen at papal funerals. I was here for the funeral of John Paul II, and the crowd here today is much more diverse than back then. It's striking just how many people have come from all parts of the world. I'm seeing people from Indonesia, US, the Philippines, France, they've just come from everywhere. There really has been a massive turn out for this funeral. We were here at 4.30 a.m., and people were already approaching St. Peter's Square. Once the police opened the barriers, people just ran up the boulevard to get as close as possible to the square. Update: Date: 16 min ago Title: Bells toll in St. Peter's Square as world leaders take their seats Content: The bells of St. Peter's Basilica are tolling slowly as the congregation begins to take their seats. A hush has fallen over the square, where some 250,000 people have gathered. More than 50 heads of state are attending today's funeral. We've seen many of them already, including Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a Catholic who had a close relationship with Pope Francis. US President Donald Trump has made his way to his seat. French President Emmanuel Macron has also just paid his respects to Francis' coffin in the basilica, which will soon be carried into St. Peter's Square. Update: Date: 14 min ago Title: Pope Francis' funeral is the first foreign trip of Trump's second term Content: We've just had our first sight of US President Donald Trump. He'll be sitting with First Lady Melania Trump, as well as former President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden. Today's funeral marks Trump's first foreign trip since returning to the White House. Before Pope Francis' death, Trump's first overseas visit was set to be to Saudi Arabia in May. But hours after the pope's death was announced, Trump ordered flags across the US to be flown at half-staff 'as a mark of respect for the memory of His Holiness Pope Francis.' 'Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome. We look forward to being there!' Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday. In December, Trump – then the president-elect – attended the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, which marked his unofficial return to the international stage ahead of his inauguration. His presence in Rome today could offer a rare opportunity for world leaders to engage with Trump in person, as countries around the world grapple with the fallout from the US president's punishing tariffs. 'It's going to be very interesting,' Trump told reporters outside the White House on Friday before he traveled to Rome. 'We're going to meet with a lot of the foreign leaders – they want to meet.' Hours after the pope's death was announced Monday, Trump ordered flags across the US to be flown at half-staff 'as a mark of respect for the memory of His Holiness Pope Francis.' Update: Date: 28 min ago Title: US President Trump arrives at St. Peter's Square Content: US President Donald Trump has arrived at St. Peter's Square alongside First Lady Melania Trump. The funeral for Pope Francis is set to begin at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET). Update: Date: 22 min ago Title: Young mourners camp overnight ahead of Francis' funeral Content: Many of those here today opted to camp out on the street overnight in order to secure a good spot for Pope Francis' funeral. Among them, Sophia Amato, who arrived three hours ago, huddled with sleeping bags and blankets to keep warm. 'It was so important for us to say goodbye. He was so important to us. He was a pope of the young. He was a pope of the poor he was a pope of ordinary people we drove from southern Italy to get here,' she told CNN. We camped at night just outside the square and then three hours ago we came in to get this spot in the front.' Update: Date: 35 min ago Title: How did Pope Francis simplify his funeral and burial? Content: Francis – who chose his papal name after Francis of Assisi, the Italian saint who renounced his family wealth and championed the poor – took steps while he was alive to simplify the rites around his death to make them more 'down to earth.' The Vatican said the funeral will follow the rites laid out in the 'Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis.' This liturgical book, detailing the procedures following the death of a pope, was published in 2000 and revised by Francis last year. Some of those revisions have already been on display. Unlike after previous papal deaths, Francis' body was placed immediately inside his coffin, which has been left open to allow people to pay their respects. Diego Ravelli, master of apostolic ceremonies, said Francis had sought to 'simplify and adapt' the rituals, so that the papal funeral is 'that of a pastor and disciple of Christ, and not of a powerful person in this world.' Elise Allen, CNN's Vatican analyst, said Francis, the first Argentine pontiff, was the 'pope of simplicity.' 'He lived that way in Buenos Aires, and he tried to bring that into the papacy and the way that he lived as pope because that's something he wanted for the church itself – to be more simple, to be more in contact with reality, with the lives of people around,' Allen said. In his will, Francis gave simple instructions for his burial: 'The tomb should be in the ground; simple, without particular ornamentation, bearing only the inscription: Franciscus.' Rather than the splendor of the Vatican, Francis has opted to be buried in Rome's Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. He will be the first pope to be buried outside the Vatican in more than a century. Update: Date: 40 min ago Title: Nuns and other mourners sprinted into the Vatican when its gates opened earlier Content: When the Vatican's gates opened to the public at 6 a.m. local time (12 a.m. ET), crowds of nuns and other faithful raced up the road leading to St. Peter's Square, hoping to get the best possible view of the pope's funeral. As the square filled up, police asked people not to run. 'The crowd control is very good,' said José Antonieta, who travelled from Scotland with his daughter. They walked to the gates of the square at 6 a.m. and nearly three hours later were close to the entrance of the colonnade. Antonieta, draped in the flag of his native Venezuela, said they feel 'blessed' to be here after narrowly missing the pope's lying in state on Friday. The Vatican has prepared for as many as 250,000 people to flock to St. Peter's Square and 1 million more to line the 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) procession route from the Vatican City through Rome to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, in hopes of seeing the pope's modest coffin as it travels to his final resting place. More large viewing screens have been set up in the square and the road leading to it. Nearby piazzas in Rome have also been equipped with TVs, as large crowds descended on the area. And many more of world's 1.4 billion Catholics are expected to watch the funeral broadcast from home. Update: Date: 49 min ago Title: It's set to be a warm, clear day in Rome Content: Rome has had glorious sunshine all week, and Saturday is set to be more of the same. After starting at a low of 11°C (52°F) early this morning, temperatures are forecast to reach 16°C (60°F) by the time the service starts at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET). In the afternoon – when Pope Francis' body will be transferred from the Vatican to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome – temperatures are set to reach a high of 22°C (72°F). No rain is expected, but there may be some clouds in the afternoon. Update: Date: 56 min ago Title: Young Italian students spent the night in a church to get a good spot this morning Content: It's striking how many young people there are in St. Peter's Square this morning. CNN spoke to a group of students from southern Italy on Saturday who said they'd spent last night in sleeping bags in a nearby church so they could get to the Vatican as early as possible. Pope Francis' legacy also clearly resonates with people who don't consider themselves Catholics, or even Christians. 'I'm not especially religious, but he seemed to have been such a humble person who looked after the poor and actually lived proper Christian beliefs,' one mourner told CNN. 'He didn't go in for all the pomp and circumstance. He wanted a humble funeral, he wanted his last resting place to be in a more humble place than here,' she added. Update: Date: 1 hr 4 min ago Title: What to expect on Saturday as the Pope makes his journey to his final resting place Content: Under the meticulously planned arrangements for the Pope's funeral, the ceremony will take place mostly at the Vatican, before Francis' body is taken across the River Tiber for burial in a Rome basilica. Here's a rundown of what we're expecting with just under an hour to go: Update: Date: 1 hr 16 min ago Title: Former US President Biden arrives at St. Peter's Square Content: Former US President Joe Biden has arrived at St. Peter's Square alongside his wife Jill Biden. Pope Francis' funeral will begin in just under an hour. Biden will sit with the rest of the delegation from United States, including current US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. As delegations will be sat in alphabetical order in French, those in the US delegation - known as 'États-Unis' - will be placed near those representing Estonia and Finland. Update: Date: 1 hr 20 min ago Title: Who's coming to the funeral? Content: A total of 130 delegations including 55 heads of state, 14 heads of government and 12 reigning monarchs will be in attendance, the Vatican has said. French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are among the major European leaders who will attend. US President Donald Trump is also going. Britain's Prince William, next in line to the throne, is among the world's royals attending. King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain are going. As well as a string of world and religious leaders, at least tens of thousands of members of the public are expected to be in St. Peter's Square. About 50,000 people came to Pope Benedict XVI's funeral in 2023, while around 300,000 attended Pope John Paul II's in 2005. And to cover the event, more than 4,000 journalists have requested accreditation from the Holy See, Vatican media reported. Update: Date: 1 hr 10 min ago Title: Here are three things to look out for during today's service Content: St. Peter's Square in the Vatican is starting to fill with mourners, and the choir is practising the hymns it will soon sing to the world. What's struck me is how many young people there are in the crowd – a testament to Pope Francis' wide appeal. The service is set to start in a little over an hour. Here's what to look out for. First is the placing of a Book of the Gospels on Francis' coffin. The Gospels recount the life and teachings of Jesus Christ – something Pope Francis strove to follow throughout his life. Second is that papal funerals bring together world leaders like no other event. The dozens of leaders gathered here today will sit in alphabetical order of their nations – in French, the traditional language of diplomacy. This means US President Donald Trump will be sat between the leaders of Estonia and Finland, since the US is 'États-Unis' in French. The leaders of Italy – the host nation – and Argentina – Francis' birthplace – will, however, have pride of place. The third thing to look for will be Francis' procession from the Vatican to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. As pope, Francis left the Vatican often, traveling to the margins and peripheries of the globe. It's fitting that he'll make one last journey outside the walls of the Vatican. Update: Date: 1 hr 38 min ago Title: What's happened since Francis' death? Content: Francis died at 7.35 a.m. Easter Monday, on the second floor of his papal residence in the Vatican. Throughout his 12-year papacy, Francis chose not to live in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, but in its guesthouse, Casa Santa Marta – in a gesture of humility that would characterize his pontificate. Francis' body was placed in an open coffin and taken to the chapel in Casa Santa Marta on Monday evening. That night, Cardinal Kevin Farrell – the 'camerlengo' tasked with planning the papal funeral and conclave – certified Francis' death and sealed his papal apartment in his residence. The room will remain sealed until a successor is chosen. On Wednesday morning, the camerlengo held a brief service in the chapel before Francis' body was transferred to St. Peter's Basilica through Piazza Santa Marta and the Piazza dei Protomartiri Romani, passing through the Arch of the Bells and into St. Peter's Square, before entering through the basilica's central door. Bells tolled slowly as the coffin entered the basilica at 9.30 a.m. local time, while mourners in the piazza outside broke into applause. Following a brief service in the basilica, Pope Francis' body has been lying in state in an open coffin. Tens of thousands of mourners visited his body before Farrell presided over the Rite of Sealing of the Coffin on Friday evening, and the doors of the basilica closed to the public. Update: Date: 1 hr 43 min ago Title: In pictures: Crowds gather in St. Peter's Square before Pope Francis' funeral Content: Crowds of mourners have gathered in St. Peter's Square, Vatican City, where the funeral for Pope Francis will begin in less than two hours' time. The Vatican says up to a quarter of a million people could flock to the square and a million more line the route through Rome. Update: Date: 1 hr 31 min ago Title: Ukraine's Zelensky arrives in Rome for funeral Content: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Rome to attend Pope Francis's funeral on Saturday, Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform reported. The leader arrived alongside Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska and the rest of Ukraine's delegation, the agency said. Zelensky had said Friday that he will travel to the Vatican for the funeral if he can make it in time to attend, after numerous meetings related to the three-year war between his country and Russia. Zelensky and Ukraine's European partners are currently seeking to sketch out a vision of a potential deal to end the war, as parallel talks take place between the United States and Moscow. Update: Date: 2 hr 19 min ago Title: The Catholic world prepares to bid farewell to Pope Francis Content: Six days ago, Pope Francis appeared on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to give his Easter Sunday blessing. Thousands had gathered in the square below to witness the pope's first major public appearance since his bout of double pneumonia, which had hospitalized him for weeks. Hours after his appearance, early on Easter Monday, Francis died of a stroke and heart failure at his Vatican residence. He was 88. Since then, tens of thousands of pilgrims have passed through the doors of St. Peter's Basilica to pay their respects to Pope Francis, whose body has been lying in state since Wednesday. Today, scores of political and religious leaders – as well as thousands of pilgrims – will gather at the Vatican to bid farewell to Francis. The bulk of the service – which Francis took steps to 'simplify' while he was alive – will take place in St. Peter's Square. Later, his body will be taken across the River Tiber to be buried in a tomb in Rome's Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. Francis will be the first pope to be buried outside the Vatican in over a century. The funeral begins at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET). Stay with us as we bring you coverage from St. Peter's Square.
