Pope Francis' funeral: Top 7 moments that made it historic

The world bid adieu to the ‘people’s pope’ on Saturday. Pope Francis , who passed away on April 21, was laid to rest on April 26 after a moving funeral attended by world leaders, including royalty, presidents, and prime ministers. Apart from the turnout of all the important people and heavyweight world leaders, what made Pope Francis’ funeral on Saturday ‘potentially historic’ was the presence of a wholly inclusive crowd.

In fact, according to Vatican estimates, 250,000 people flocked to the funeral mass at the Vatican, marked by enchanting choral music and emotive readings. The 88-year-old pontiff’s coffin was then transported to its burial place in the Basilica of St Mary Major, as 150,000 more onlookers lined the route through Rome for the first funeral procession for a pope in a century and to bid farewell to the first Latin-American pope.


To sum it up, the streets of the Vatican and Rome witnessed an outpouring turnout of over 400,000 people, who paid their final tribute as the ‘people’s Pope’ was on his last mortal journey.

Amongst all those mourners and a service that lasted for a few hours, some key moments made Pope Francis’ funeral quite historic and memorable.


Take a look.


American reporter delivering the first reading


American Kielce Gussie, 28, conducted the first reading in English, reciting several verses from the Acts of the Apostles. Gussie, a journalist at Vatican News, holds an undergraduate degree in theology from Mount St. Mary’s University and a licentiate degree in church communication from Rome's Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.


The appearance of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accompanied by his wife, Olena Zelenska, received applause from the crowd in St. Peter’s Square and appeared on screens throughout the area. Zelenskyy has led Ukraine through its war with Russia, which escalated in 2022 following the invasion of the Eastern European country.

For the funeral, Zelenskyy made a notable change to his usual military attire, opting for dark clothing that included an elegant black jacket with front pockets and a more casual cut, paired with a dark shirt instead of his typical T-shirt, along with dark boots. Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Zelenskyy has consistently worn informal military dress to show solidarity with soldiers on the front lines. However, his choice of attire sparked controversy during his last visit to Washington, where a reporter’s question about his informal dress briefly shifted the tone of the event. His decision to dress more formally for the funeral marked a significant, albeit subtle, shift for the solemn occasion.


Trump and Zelenskyy’s impromptu mini-summit

One of the most striking moments came from an impromptu meeting at the Vatican. Photos released by Kyiv’s presidency depict Zelenskyy, Trump, Macron, and Starmer gathered in a marble hall ahead of the funeral, with Macron resting a supportive hand on Zelenskyy’s shoulder. Trump and Zelenskyy engaged in a private, face-to-face 15-minute conversation inside St. Peter’s Basilica, seated without any aides or advisors nearby, indicating a direct discussion between the two leaders.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung described the meeting as “very productive,” with plans for further discussions later in the day. This direct and seemingly cordial interaction stood in sharp contrast to the recent public tensions between the two leaders. In a post on social media platform X, Zelenskyy described the meeting as positive, suggesting it could become historic.


Trump and Macron’s unexpected 'sign of peace'

During the funeral Mass, Trump participated in the Catholic ritual known as the "sign of peace." He exchanged handshakes with his immediate neighbors: Finnish President Alexander Stubb, with whom he recently played golf in Florida, and Estonian President Alar Karis. He also reached out to shake hands with French President Emmanuel Macron, who was seated a short distance away. In Catholic liturgy, the "sign of peace" occurs after the Our Father and before Communion, inviting the congregation to offer gestures of peace to one another, typically handshakes, bows, or embraces, depending on tradition.

The handshake with Macron was facilitated by last-minute changes to front-row seating arrangements, as Vatican protocol was set aside for this unprecedented event. Trump, First Lady Melania, and Zelenskyy were given front-row seats alongside other key leaders, underscoring the funeral's international significance.


Trump’s second encounter with Ursula von der Leyen

On the steps of St. Peter’s Square, President Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen exchanged a handshake, marking their first encounter since January 21, 2020, when they met at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Although their interaction was brief and limited to formal courtesies, it seemed warm despite recent transatlantic tensions over trade tariffs. In their brief exchange, President von der Leyen and President Trump agreed to meet again. Von der Leyen later posted on social media X, stating that she had good exchanges with several leaders gathered to pay their final tribute to the pope. It remains unclear how many other leaders Trump met during his short stay in Rome; reports suggest he also spoke briefly with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Prince William, the Prince of Wales.


An anti-Trump undercurrent in the Homily

During his homily, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, celebrated Pope Francis' unwavering advocacy for migrants and the marginalized. Some interpreted these remarks as a subtle rebuke to President Trump, who was present in the audience. Cardinal Re cited Pope Francis’s visits to Lesbos and Lampedusa, two islands symbolizing the tragedy of migration, where thousands have drowned at sea. He also referenced the Pope’s Mass at the Mexico–U.S. border and echoed the Pope’s enduring exhortation: “Build bridges, not walls,” a phrase long seen as a direct critique of Trump.

The crowd erupted in spontaneous applause, particularly during Re's calls for peace and dialogue amid war and destruction—an emotional high point of the ceremony.

"Confronted with the raging wars of recent years, which have brought inhuman horrors and countless deaths and devastation, Pope Francis consistently raised his voice, imploring for peace and advocating for reason and honest negotiations to find possible solutions," Re continued.


The Book of Gospels and the Bells

One of the most poignant and iconic moments in papal funerals is the simple yet profound image of the breeze turning the pages of the Book of the Gospels, which rests atop the pope's coffin in St. Peter's Square. The book was opened to the reading, "In the Passion and Death of the Lord."

The coffin carrying Pope Francis was brought through the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica for the last time as bells tolled throughout the Vatican in his honor. The funeral, which lasted over two hours, concluded with the ringing of bells for the pontiff. His coffin was then taken to Rome's Basilica of Saint Mary Major, where he was laid to rest.


‘Building bridges’:

Heralded as the "People's Pope", Pope Francis became popular beyond the vast Catholic community he led for championing the disadvantaged and dispossessed throughout his 12-year papacy.

After his death on April 21, the whole world poured their heart into sending condolences and prayers. On April 26, on the day of the late pontiff’s funeral service, thousands lined the streets of Rome for the funeral procession. The four-mile route between St. Peter's Basilica and the final resting place of Pope Francis -- the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome -- was lined with tens of thousands of mourners following his funeral on Saturday morning. People could be seen crying and applauding as Francis' coffin drove by.

Pope Francis' coffin was placed in the bed of a white pickup truck, where it was visible to the thousands lining the streets. The procession took the pope's body past some of Rome's historical landmarks, such as the Roman Forum and the Colosseum.