Canadians scattered among the tens of thousands in and around St. Peter's Square for the funeral of Pope Francis described the ceremony as profoundly beautiful.
While dignitaries such as Gov.-Gen. Mary Simon were seated near the front of the square, members of the general public were positioned farther back or gathered in the streets of Rome to watch on large screens.
Falguni Debnath says being at the back of the square didn't dampen the effect of the familiar ritual.
She says she was moved by the relative simplicity of the ceremony and its similarity to funerals she's attended back home in Toronto.
Debnath, who became a Catholic in adulthood, bought her ticket to Rome within hours of hearing of Francis's death on Monday.
Mirjam Guesgen of Montreal was on vacation in Rome when the pope died, and though she's not religious, she also decided to attend the funeral.
It seemed as though all of Rome had descended on the Vatican, she said, and by the time she and her partner made it there, St. Peter's Square had already filled up.
She watched the ceremony from outside Vatican City, surrounded by other tourists.
"It was really sort of a once-in-a-lifetime experience because of the chanting and the prayers, which were echoing all across -- probably as far as the Tiber -- from the square," she said.
She said she was struck by the beauty of the hymns.
Francis died Monday at age 88 and is being remembered as a pontiff dedicated to building bridges and offering compassion to marginalized groups during his 12-year papacy.
U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron were among the heads of state in attendance. The Vatican has said the funeral was expected to attract dignitaries and leaders from around the world, including roughly 130 delegations, at least 50 heads of state and 10 reigning sovereigns.
In addition to Canada's Governor General, major Indigenous leaders and Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard Wagner were due to attend.
Prime Minister Mark Carney wasn't in attendance because of the federal election campaign, which wraps up Monday.
All five of Canada's cardinals were expected to attend, along with various bishops, Manitoba M茅tis Federation President David Chartrand, Quebec's International Relations Minister Martine Biron and Chief Wilton Littlechild, who gifted the pontiff a traditional headdress when he visited Canada in 2022.
The event follows days of public viewings at St. Peter's Basilica, where tens of thousands of mourners lined up for hours to pay their respects.
The Vatican has said Francis died of a stroke and heart failure.
Tributes have poured in from Catholics and non-Catholics alike, characterizing Francis's tenure as head of the Catholic Church as one that called for inclusion, concern for the poor and kindness.
Francis faced criticism from conservatives who sometimes felt alienated by his progressive leanings.
Nearly 11 million Canadians identified as Catholic in the 2021 census, second only to those without a religious affiliation.
The pope will be buried in a niche within the St. Mary Major Basilica, home to his favourite icon of the Virgin Mary, to whom he was particularly devoted.
-- with files from The Associated Press.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 26, 2025.
Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press
