Funeral of the Pope: hundreds of thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square (video).

Today, a farewell ceremony for Pope Francis took place in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City. World leaders, official delegations, and thousands of believers participated in the ceremony. The Holy Mass began in St. Peter's Basilica at 11:00 AM. Then the ceremony moved to the square in front of the basilica, where cardinals, Vatican officials, members of royal families, and world leaders gathered.

This is what the Vatican looks like during the funeral of Pope Francis pic.twitter.com/4D3ZZw04YA

— GLAVCOM (@GLAVCOM_UA) April 26, 2025

The live broadcast of the event can be watched .

Among the distinguished guests at Pope Francis' funeral were the presidents of the USA, Ukraine, Brazil, Argentina, the Prince of Wales, the King of Spain, the President of France, and other world leaders. The arrival of over 130 foreign delegations is expected, including 50 presidents and 10 monarchs.

Due to the arrival of high-ranking officials, enhanced security measures have been implemented in Rome and Vatican City, including a round-the-clock secure zone over the Italian capital and the presence of snipers on rooftops along the route to St. Peter's Square.

Pope Francis passed away on Monday morning at the age of 88. His death was the result of a stroke and chronic illnesses. Throughout his life, the Pope suffered from pneumonia and experienced four respiratory crises. According to his wishes, he will be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, rather than in Vatican City. His tomb will be simple and unadorned.