VATICAN CITY (AP) 鈥� More than 250,000 people paid their last respects to over three days of public viewing by ordinary mourners, church and political leaders that ended Friday, when his coffin was sealed ahead of his state funeral in St. Peter's Square and burial in a basilica outside the Vatican's walls.
World leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Argentine President Javier Milei, along with royalty, converged on Rome for the funeral. But the group of marginalized people who will meet his casket in a small crosstown basilica are more in keeping with Francis鈥� humble persona and disdain for pomp.
The said that 164 delegations are confirmed, including 54 heads of state and 12 reigning sovereigns. French President Emmanuel Macron, who will also attend the funeral, was among those who made it in time to pay last respects to the pope.
Paying respects
Tens of thousands of mourners waited hours in line over three days to bid farewell to Francis, who after suffering at the age of 88. A higher-than-expected turnout prompted the Vatican to overnight.
Angele Bilegue, a nun, was among the last mourners. It was her third time to pay her respects, including once inside the Vatican at his residence in the Santa Marta Domus, where she said she spent six hours praying at his coffin.
鈥淗e was my friend, so I went one last time to say goodbye,'' she said. "I cried.鈥�
A changing of the guards at Francis鈥� open coffin signaled the end of the viewing period of the pontiff, who was laid out in red robes, a bishop鈥檚 pointed miter and a rosary entwined in his hands. He was being buried with his well-worn black shoes, including scuff marks on the toe 鈥� emblematic of the simple life he espoused.
presided over the closing and sealing of the coffin in his role of camerlengo, or interim Vatican administrator. According to photos released by the Vatican, a white cloth was placed over the pope鈥檚 face, and a bag containing coins minted during his papacy was put in the coffin along with a one-page written account of his papacy.
The account, called a rogito, summarized his whole life's story, from his childhood in Argentina as the son of parents with Italian heritage through his priesthood and promotions eventually to archbishop and cardinal in Buenos Aires 鈥� and then pope. It highlighted his 鈥渄efense of innocents,鈥� his encyclicals and also his illnesses.
鈥淗e was a simple and much loved pastor in his archdiocese, who traveled far and wide, also by subway and bus," read the text of the document, recounting his life as archbishop. 鈥淗e lived in an apartment and he prepared dinner alone, so he could feel like an ordinary person.鈥�
'We will see each other again'
Roman neighbors and retired flight attendants Aurelia Ballarini and Francesca Codato came to pay respects to Francis on Friday with very different motivations. Ballarini, 72, was coming to terms with her grief, and Codato, 78, was seeking forgiveness.
For Ballarini, the pope's death leaves a hole in her life. While only 16 years younger than Francis, she considered him a grandfather figure. Every morning, she would log on to Facebook for his daily greeting, and respond 鈥渨ith a couple of words.鈥�
鈥淗e gave everything, gave all of himself, up to the end," said Ballarini. 鈥淚 spent the last two days crying. I was not well after his passing 鈥� I can鈥檛 even say the word. For me he flew away. One day, we will see each other again."
Codato said that she feels tremendous guilt toward Francis, having forsaken him out of devotion to one of his predecessors, St. John Paul II. When Francis became pope 鈥渉e was an outsider to me.鈥�
鈥淚 feel guilty, because through videos I have seen in these days, I have understood he was a man of enormous humanity, close to the simple people," she said. "So I came to ask forgiveness, because I feel guilty towards him, like a worm.鈥�
Cardinals 鈥榓re in discussions鈥�
The work of the won鈥檛 start until at least May 5, after nine days of public mourning.
Cardinals have been arriving in Rome, with 149 meeting on Friday morning to discuss church business. They won't meet again until next week, meaning a conclave date is unlikely to be set until after the funeral.
Cardinal Fran莽ois-Xavier Bustillo, who hosted Francis during to Corsica last year, remembered Francis as 鈥渁 free man鈥� who "humanized the church without desacralizing it.鈥�
He described the atmosphere inside the meetings as 鈥済ood,鈥� but said that they weren't yet 鈥渁t the point of decisions; we are in discussions.鈥�
Papal burial
In keeping with Francis鈥� embrace of the marginalized, the Vatican said a group of poor and needy people will meet the pope鈥檚 coffin to pay homage to him when it arrives at for burial on Saturday. It has already become a point of pilgrimage.
The tomb is being prepared behind a wooden barrier within the basilica that he chose to be near an icon of the Madonna that he revered and often prayed before. The burial will take place in private, the Vatican said.
Photos released by the Vatican on Friday show the marble tombstone flat against the pavement, with the simple engraving in Latin that he requested in his last testament: 鈥淔ranciscus.鈥�
Cardinals will visit the St. Mary Major Basilica on Sunday. Entering through the Holy Door, they will visit the Salus Populi Romani icon, which was dear to Francis, and celebrate evening prayers, the Vatican said.
Security measures
Italy is deploying more than 2,500 police officers and 1,500 soldiers to provide security during the funeral, which is expected to gather about 200,000 mourners in St. Peter鈥檚 Square and up to 300,000 people along the 4-kilometer (2 1/2-mile) route from the Vatican to the pope's burial place across Rome.
The major security operation includes stationing an armed naval vessel off the coast, and putting squads of fighter jets on standby, Italian media reported.
Royals and leaders
Trump, who is traveling with first lady Melania Trump, is scheduled to arrive Friday, after Francis鈥� coffin has been sealed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy鈥檚 press office previously confirmed his presence, but he told reporters Friday evening on the site of a recent missile attack that he will attend if time permits, given obligations at home related to the ongoing war.
Among the other foreign dignitaries confirmed for the papal funeral are:
鈥� U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer
鈥� Prince William
鈥� King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain
鈥� Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orb谩n
鈥� Brazilian President Luiz In谩cio Lula da Silva
Colleen Barry, The Associated Press
