Pope laid to rest after funeral brings together politicians, royalty and 400,000 mourners

Laura Gozzi
Reporting from Rome
Hearing the languages of the world mingle with the thick Roman accents of the locals, I wondered whether this is what Rome felt like during a papal death in centuries gone by.
Visitors today arrive with modern means – Ryanair flights or private jets, depending on their status – rather than on foot or horseback, of course.
But the crowd today bid farewell to Pope Francis as other crowds have done for centuries with other popes.
They sang the same hymns that generations of Catholics have sung before under the same colonnades, looking up at the same basilica that bears the name of St Peter, the first pope.
The Catholic Church is rich with tradition.
Even with the changes requested by the pope to simplify his funeral rite, today that tradition was upheld in full.
We’re now ending our live coverage, thanks for joining us. You can read more from Laura as she takes a look back at the day that Pope Francis was laid to rest.
Image source, Reuters
In St Peter’s Square, 250,000 mourners attended the funeral of Pope Francis to pay their final respects.
The powerful and the marginalised were brought together to say a final farewell to a man who “touched minds and hearts” and wanted to “build bridges, not walls”, as Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re said of Francis during the service.
World leaders, including Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, joined an estimated 400,000 mourners who lined the streets of Rome and gathered in the Vatican.
In Argentina, South Korea, and many other parts of the globe, Catholics mourned the late Pope in churches, Cathedrals and public spaces.
After the funeral, a sombre procession through Rome’s streets led Pope Francis to Santa Maria Maggiore basilica – a 4th century church in Rome. He had requested this be his final resting point, making him the first pope not to be buried in St Peter’s Basilica in over 100 years.
Nine days of mourning known as Novemdiales now begins, with a mass held every day in Francis’ memory.
Attention now turns to who the next Pope will be, in our previous post we explained how the process works.
We’ll soon be ending our live coverage, but our final post of this historic day – coming next – is from our reporter Laura Gozzi in Rome.
Image source, EPA
In the 15 to 20 days following the burial of Pope Francis the College of Cardinals will summon the cardinals to Rome to elect the next pope.
The conclave will see them gather in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel. Once the cardinals have entered, they cannot communicate with the outside world until a new pope is chosen.
The cardinals must be under 80 years old to vote, meaning only 135 of the 252 cardinals will be eligible.
A new pope requires a two-thirds majority but this can take time.
One round of voting is done on the first afternoon of the conclave, and then voting will happen up to four times every day afterwards.
If the conclave completes its third day without reaching a decision, cardinals may pause for a day of prayer before resuming voting.
If no decision is made after 33 rounds, there’ll be a run-off between the two most voted candidates – but one of them will still need to get two-thirds of the vote to be elected Pope.
Marco Oriunto
BBC Africa
“There is no doubt the world has lost a champion in mercy, a champion in one who cares,” Kenyan Archbishop Anthony Muheria says following Pope Francis’ funeral.
For Francis, the issue of dignity for migrants was hugely important throughout his papacy.
“In Kenya, we’ve seen what has happened in South Sudan,” he continues – referring to the civil war that gripped South Sudan for many years.
“We try to welcome them,” he says in reference to migrants entering Kenya from neighbouring countries, “but perhaps we don’t treat them as humanely as we should”.
“It’s not just about welcoming them, but restoring dignity”.
Image source, EPA
We’re hearing more now from the Vatican, which has shared more details about the burial of Pope Francis.
They say he has been laid to rest “in the side aisle of the Basilica of St Mary Major, between the Pauline Chapel, where his beloved icon of Our Lady ‘Salus Populi Romani’ is located, and the Sforza Chapel.”
The Pope’s burial rite was preceded by the singing of four psalms before a final prayer was spoken.
His coffin was placed in the tomb and sprinkled with holy water while the Regina Caeli, a prayer usually sung to express joy at Eastertime, was chanted.
The Vatican details the “final formality” of the burial, as the notary of the Liberian Chapter read the act certifying the burial to those present.
We’re now seeing aerial images taken from above St Peter’s Square during Pope Francis’ funeral.
The Vatican earlier confirmed that 250,000 people attended the funeral in and around St Peter’s Square – here’s what that looks like from above.
Image source, Maxar Technologies / EPA
Image source, Maxar Technologies / EPA
We’re hearing now from Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill who attended Pope Francis’ funeral this morning.
O’Neill tells the BBC it was a “huge honour” to be there representing “all those people at home who looked towards him for spiritual leadership”.
Just under half of people in Northern Ireland are Catholic, according to the nation’s 2021 census.
She describes the event as a “huge historic moment”, after cutting short a family holiday to attend.
“I wanted to be here, I sought an invitation to be here,” she says.
Bernie Allen
Reporting from Belfast
In Belfast, Northern Ireland, mass-goers at Clonard Monastery in the west of the city have been paying tribute to the late pope.
Briege Chambers, who watched the funeral, says the atmosphere was “absolutely magnificent, we could feel it even though we weren’t present in Rome at the time, but I think it radiated out.”
“It was very sad, but everybody has to die, don’t they?” says another churchgoer, Bridie McCabe.
A third, Rosa, says: “When any pope dies, I think there are a lot of people who want to pay their respects. But particularly this man.”
As world leaders, royalty, and 400,000 mourners lined the streets of Rome and gathered in St Peter’s Square, Catholics across the globe bid goodbye to Pope Francis.
In Argentina, South Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo and many other parts of the world people watched the funeral from churches, Cathedrals and public spaces.
And, in Manchester, England, some mourners followed along with the funeral from a hair salon.
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Argentine mourners, including one dressed as Pope Francis, gather near a cathedral in Buenos Aires
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
People watch the funeral of Pope Francis from a hair salon in Manchester, UK
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Catholic priests take part in requiem mass for Pope Francis in Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
Image source, EPA
Image caption,
People line up to farewell Pope Francis at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul, South Korea
Image source, EPA
Image caption,
Churchgoers attend a holy mass to mourn Pope Francis in Bangkok, Thailand
Daniel Wittenberg
Reporting from Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica
Image caption,
A group of friends proudly wearing Argentina football shirts came to pay their respects
Outside the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica, where Pope Francis’ coffin has just been interred, the square is still busy with people pausing to reflect or take photographs.
Some were here earlier to watch his coffin arrive at its final resting place. Others have made their way here since, wanting to pay their respects, even though the church remains closed to the public.
“We felt blessed to be here,” says Grace, 20, a dance teacher from Colchester, who happened to have booked a hotel overlooking the basilica with her boyfriend Frankie long before the Pope’s death.
“It was really quiet as his coffin was arriving. Everyone was just praying or reflecting. It was nice to be part of something so special. We saw how much it meant to everyone,” she adds.
A group of friends proudly wearing Argentina football shirts, all living in Rome, felt they had to come here today to honour the first Latin American Pope.
“We decided to come here as Argentinians to bring Francis our condolences and accompany him to his tomb,” Augustin tells me.
“It is such a huge loss for us,” he says. “But now we know he is resting in peace in a place he chose.”
“Francis was a very humble person with a big heart who helped many people. It is a very sad day, not only for us Argentinians, but for the whole world.”
Image source, EPA
Image caption,
Macron and Zelensky were pictured together at the Pope’s funeral earlier today
French President Emmanuel Macron says he had a “very positive exchange” with his Ukrainian counterpart when the pair met at Pope Francis’ funeral.
Zelensky told Macron that Ukraine is “ready for an unconditional ceasefire”, adding that “ending the war in Ukraine is the goal we share with President Trump”.
In a post on X, Macron says it is now up to Russian President Vladimir Putin to “prove that he really wants peace”.
“We will continue our work within the framework of the coalition of the willing launched in Paris last March, to achieve both this ceasefire and a complete and lasting peace in Ukraine,” Macron adds.
Image source, EPA
Image caption,
US President Trump and his wife Melania attend the funeral Mass of Pope Francis in Saint Peter’s Square in Vatican City earlier today
In the past few moments, Donald Trump has taken to Truth Social, saying “there was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas” after 12 people were killed by Russian strikes in Kyiv earlier this week.
The US president adds: “It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?'”
Before the Pope’s funeral, Trump briefly met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Vatican – the details of what was discussed remain unclear. Earlier, Zelensky said the meeting “has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results”.
In a statement, the Vatican says Pope Francis’ coffin has been entombed in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in central Rome.
“The Pope is the first in over a century to be buried outside the Vatican, and his entombment was a private event, allowing for those closest to him to pay their respects,” the statement adds.
The Vatican has just confirmed that Pope Francis has been buried at Santa Maria Maggiore basilica, which sits outside the Vatican walls in the centre of Rome.
Image source, Vatican Media
Image source, Vatican Media
Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
At least 400,000 people gathered in Vatican City for Pope Francis’ funeral and lined the streets to watch his coffin being taken to the Santa Maria Maggiore church for burial, according to Italy’s interior minister.
“We estimate not fewer than 400,000 people between those present in St Peter’s Square and those along the route,” Matteo Piantedosi tells Italian news programme TG5.
Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor
Image source, Andrii Sybiha/X
Zelensky’s round of diplomatic meetings on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral has continued with a chat with Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Earlier, the UK prime minister was seen standing with Zelensky, Donald Trump and France’s Emmanuel Macron inside St Peter’s Basilica – minutes before the Pope’s funeral was about to start.
Trump and Zelensky were filmed by White House staffer Dan Scavino walking together towards some chairs, escorted by Vatican officials. Macron briefly joined them before the pair sat down.
After Trump’s team headed straight for the airport, Zelensky then met Macron and Starmer again – separately. As he walked with Starmer, he was asked by a Ukrainian reporter how the talks with Trump had gone.
“Really we had a productive meeting. I don’t want to go into a lot of details if it’s possible because [they are] very sensitive questions on, of course, totally on how to bring peace closer,” he said.
They had also discussed recent meetings involving European and Ukrainian officials in Paris and London: “And we want to continue such meetings to bring peace to Ukraine.”
Waihiga Mwaura
Reporting from Rome
Dumi Sifuno from Johannesburg, South Africa, and her two friends had planned a pilgrimage to Rome for the Jubilee Year – a major event in the Catholic calendar that began on 24 December 2024 and continues until 6 January 2026.
This unfortunately coincided with the passing of Pope Francis.
The pair of friends now tell me their time in Rome has been a time of celebration mixed with mourning.
“God has been good by giving the Church an amazing leader at a time when he was really needed.”
They tell me they believe the conclave will choose the right leader to take the Church forward.
African Catholics have been quietly rooting for an African pope, bearing in mind the Church on the African continent has seen dynamic growth. But analysts say the probability of an African pope being chosen at this time remains slim.
Rosanna Pound-Woods
Reporting from Rome
Watching the funeral from St Peter’s Square earlier was Sister Beatrice (pictured right). “For me, the loss of Pope Francis is a great loss,” she told BBC News.
“In him I saw a holy man who saw the lonely and the needy. He is a man of peace and he accepts everybody no matter their race, language or where you come from.
“For me we have lost a great man. I prayed [that] who we choose as the next pope takes up the legacy he has laid for the church.”
Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor
Image source, Andrii Sybiha/X
Zelensky has just spoken of a “very symbolic meeting” with Trump at Pope Francis’ funeral that has the “potential to become historic”.
The White House has so far spoken only of a “very productive” meeting on the sidelines of the funeral, as the US pushes for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
There had been talk of a possible second meeting but that was quashed as soon as it emerged a substantial motorcade had left St Peter’s for the airport. Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin for three hours only yesterday and he made the point that direct talks between Russia and Ukraine were a particular focus.
Meanwhile, Zelensky’s round of diplomatic talks in Rome isn’t yet over.
Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, has posted a picture of Zelensky sitting with France’s Emmanuel Macron under a parasol at a garden table.
Sybiha describes it as a “tête-à-tête about further peace efforts”.
Zelensky is also due to meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen before he heads home.
Jack Fenwick
Political reporter
Image source, UKRAINE’S PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE
Today is clearly not a day primarily for politics. But with so many leaders gathered in one place, it’s difficult not to reflect on the wider issues facing the world.
The image of Sir Keir Starmer standing alongside President Zelensky, President Trump and President Macron is a reminder of the war that rages in Ukraine, some 1,500 miles from the Vatican.
And it’s a reminder, too, of the role the UK is still playing in the tense diplomacy surrounding Russia’s invasion.
The symbolism is clear: the leaders of the UK and France helping to bring together the leaders of Ukraine and the US for the first time since the dramatic Oval Office fallout.
This week, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio cancelled a trip to London to discuss the latest on potential peace talks. That could easily be seen as something of a sidelining for Starmer and Macron.
Yesterday, President Trump said Russia and Ukraine “are very close to a deal”. The UK, France and Germany seem to have been largely left out of those talks, too.
But UK government figures have downplayed that idea. Starmer is still pushing for a so-called “coalition of the willing” – which would see European troops help enforce any peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
The prime minister will hope today’s image of the four leaders is seen as a piece of powerful symbolism that western Europe – including the UK – still very much matters on the world stage.

Page 2

Image source, Reuters
About 150,000 people lined the streets of Rome to watch as the Pope’s coffin was carried in a procession to his final resting place, the Vatican reports.
That’s slightly less than the number of people who gathered in St Peter’s Square and the surrounding streets for the actual funeral mass. The Vatican says for that ceremony, there were 250,000 mourners in the area.
Image source, Getty Images
The Pope’s burial ceremony, which is being led by cardinal chamberlain Kevin Joseph Farrell, is expected to end at 14:00 local time (13:00 BST).
Following that, many foreign leaders will leave Rome (some already have) while pilgrims and mourners remain.
Today marks the beginning of a nine-day mourning period called Novemdiales, with a mass held every day in memory of Francis.
Mourning aside, the Catholic world’s attention will soon turn to the conclave – the ritual selection of Francis’ successor where eligible cardinals gather in Vatican City to vote in secret.
The cardinals haven’t confirmed a date yet, but the conclave typically takes place between 15 to 20 days after the pope’s death. That would indicate a date after 6 May is likely.

From secret votes to white smoke – how is the next pope chosen?

Rosanna Pound-Woods
Reporting from Rome
Image source, Getty Images
Meanwhile, on the streets outside St Peter’s Square, tens of thousands of pilgrims are continuing to stream out after the end of the public portion of Pope Francis’ funeral.
It’s warm today in Rome, with a maximum temperature of 23C (73F) forecast by mid-afternoon. For many, the priority is now shade and some lunch.
On the steps of the Chiesa di Santo Spirito in Sassia, groups take a moment of respite as they sit and eat sandwiches and catch their breath. Some have been in St Peter’s Square since before dawn.
Inside, Catholics from all over the world gather to pray and light candles in Pope Francis’ memory.
Families sit alongside nuns and priests. The atmosphere is calm away from the chaos of the streets outside.
We’ve just had the first comments from President Zelensky after his meeting with US President Donald Trump earlier.
He says the “very symbolic meeting” has the “potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results”.
“Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out.”
He ends his post on X by thanking the US president.
Image source, Ukrainian Presidential Press Service
Donald Trump’s Air Force One flight has just left Rome, according to the flight tracking website FlightRadar24.
Below is an image of the US president waving as he boards the aircraft at the Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome.
Image source, Getty Images
We’ve just seen the last images of the Pope’s coffin before it’s buried.
The pallbearers have now gone inside a section of the church of Santa Maria Maggiore away from public view for a private ceremony.
One of Francis’ requests before his death was that he be laid to rest in a simple tomb in the ground bearing only the inscription “Franciscus”, the Latin version of his chosen name.
The coffin of Pope Francis has just been taken inside of Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome.
This will be the late Pope’s final resting place.
A short, private service will take place here (it won’t be televised), but we are getting some images of people gathering inside the church.
The Vatican announced earlier that people will be able to visit Francis’ tomb from Sunday morning.
Image source, EPA
As we’ve been reporting, Francis’ body will be buried in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
He is the first pope since Leo XIII, who died in 1903, to be buried outside the Vatican.
Every time Francis returned to Rome after a trip abroad, he always visited Santa Maria Maggiore.
It’s a fitting choice – Francis was especially devoted to the Virgin Mary, and Santa Maria Maggiore was the first church dedicated to her when it was built in the 4th Century.
Media caption,
The adapted vehicle heads through the streets to the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica.
Now that the Pope’s coffin has arrived at his final resting place, we can bring you pictures that show the Popemobile’s journey through the Italian capital.
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
The procession left Vatican City and followed a 6km (3.75 miles) route over the Tiber River
Image source, EPA
Image caption,
Pope Francis’ coffin travelled along the back of on adapted ‘Popemobile’
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
The public have only been allowed to follow the journey from behind barriers on the streets, rather than directly behind the procession
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
The Popemobile travelled through central Rome to Piazza Venezia, passing the Colosseum
We’re now seeing the Popemobile carrying the Pope’s coffin arriving at the church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
Pallbearers are lifting the coffin from the vehicle to be taken inside.
You can follow this moment by pressing watch live above.
Image source, Reuters
Daniel Wittenberg
Reporting from Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica
Back here at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, there’s a sense of spiritual reflection and quiet anticipation.
People are watching the funeral on large screens while they wait for the late Pope’s arrival at his final resting place.
Crowds are growing on both sides of the basilica. Security on the surrounding streets has tightened dramatically over the past couple of hours.
Above it all, a large banner is draped from an apartment block, reading simply: “Grazie Francesco” – ‘Thank you, Francis’ in Italian.
The crowd reflects some of his legacy. It’s notably young, with Christian youth groups from around Italy which are here as part of a teenage celebration of the Catholic Church’s Jubilee year.
Diversity in the square is noticeable too. A man in a keffiyeh stands near a Palestinian flag. People in colourful West African dress mingle with others wrapped in Argentinian flags, paying tribute to the first Latin American pope and the first from the southern hemisphere.
The Argentine Embassy stands just opposite the square – a reminder of where Francis’ journey began, beside where it will soon finish.
US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky will meet face-to-face with one another two times today.
The first time, as we just reported, happened before the Pope’s funeral, inside St Peter’s Basilica. The second meeting will take place later today, the White House says.
Earlier, they were among the delegates who shared the front row at the Pope’s funeral mass in St Peter’s Square.
Earlier, we brought you a picture of Zelensky deep in conversation with Donald Trump inside St Peter’s Basilica before Pope Francis’ funeral began.
We’re now seeing another picture, also captured before the funeral, which shows Prime Minister Keir Starmer, US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron embracing one another as they speak.
Image source, Andriy Yermak
Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor
Image source, Ukrainian presidential office handout
This picture of Trump and Zelensky locked in deep discussion inside St Peter’s Basilica, minutes before Pope Francis’s funeral was about to start, is destined to become one of the defining images of a momentous day.
We know from Zelensky’s spokesman there are plans for the two leaders to meet again later, but two months after that tempestuous meeting at the Oval Office the symbolism of this moment is striking.
During his homily, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re spoke of Pope Francis’s incessant calls for peace. “‘Build bridges, not walls’ was an exhortation he repeated many times,” said the cardinal.
As Trump bids to forge a peace deal with Russia and Ukraine, this conversation and a potential second meeting later today could be significant.
The Popemobile is the nickname given to the high-security vehicle that the pope travels in to meet well-wishers during official visits.
It’s been specially designed to keep the pontiff safe, with armour-plating on most of the vehicle and bullet-proof glass.
There’s room for the pope to stand or sit in the back, and the seat’s raised so as many people as possible can see him. There are also seats for two of his aides.
For this procession through the streets of Rome, the back end of the Popemobile has been adapted to carry his coffin.
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
The ‘Popemobile’ of the late Pope Francis is pictured on the streets of Havana, Cuba, earlier this year
Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
We’ve just received another update from the Vatican, confirming that 250,000 people attended Pope Francis’ funeral in and around St Peter’s Square.
That’s 50,000 more than they announced earlier.
Image source, Getty Images
For the first time we are seeing Pope Francis’ coffin being moved on the adapted Popemobile.
As police sirens blare, it is now heading through the streets of Rome towards the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica.
You can watch it by clicking Watch live at the top of this page.
Laura Gozzi
Reporting from St Peter’s Square
From where I’m standing near Via Paolo VI, I’ve just seen the motorcade that is carrying the American delegation – which includes US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump – leave the Vatican.
Image source, Laura Gozzi / BBC
The funeral mass for Pope Francis has just ended.
The coffin carrying the Pope is now going to be carried in a slow procession to the church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome for burial.
The procession will leave Vatican City, following a 6km (3.75 miles) route over the Tiber River.
It will then make its way through central Rome to Piazza Venezia, passing by the Colosseum, before turning northward to arrive at Santa Maria Maggiore.
The public will only be able to follow along from behind barriers on the streets, rather than directly behind the procession.
Three thousand volunteers are stationed along the way to provide directions, medical help and water to pilgrims, local officials say.
The burial inside the church will not be open to the public, although crowds are already gathering outside.
Laura Gozzi
Reporting from St Peter’s Square
The bells are tolling again and the hymns have stopped. The sound of the chimes are echoing across St Peter’s Square.
The clergy are leaving, and I can see Donald Trump and other dignitaries across the square from where I’m standing mingling and talking with one another.

Page 3

Image source, EPA
Pallbearers are now lifting up the Pope’s coffin to be taken in procession to the church of Santa Maria Maggiore shortly.
As a reminder, you can also follow today’s coverage by pressing watch live above.
Images have now been released by Ukrainian officials of Donald Trump’s brief meeting inside St Peter’s with Volodymyr Zelensky.
As you can see it’s very much an ad hoc meeting on chairs – and the two men look engrossed in deep conversation.
The picture comes from Andriy Yermak, head of Zelensky’s office.
Image source, Andriy Yermak/Telegram
Laura Gozzi
Reporting from St Peter’s Square
Image source, Getty Images
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re has just blessed the Pope’s coffin with holy water, before burning incense in a thurible – a symbol of cleansing.
The bells have just rolled three times – at midday local time on the dot – after the blessing of the coffin was carried out.
There is total silence, bar the helicopter overhead.
Media caption,
Cardinal blesses Pope Francis’ coffin with holy water and incense
Sarah Rainsford
Reporting from St Peter’s Square
A bit earlier, a procession of priests in white made its way right to the end of the road leading to St Peter’s Square, carrying golden chalices full of wafers for communion.
The large crowd quickly moved forward to receive the hosts and then broke out again in applause as the choir finished singing.
US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet for a second time later today, a Ukrainian spokesman says.
Earlier, the White House said the pair met privately inside St Peter’s Basilica ahead of the funeral mass. The 15-minute meeting was described as a “very productive discussion”.
We are nearing the end of the funeral mass ceremony at St Peter’s Square.
In this section of the final farewell, the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, will commend the Pope’s soul to God and ask for consolation for the Roman Catholic Church.
More prayers will be read and the Pope’s coffin will then be sprinkled with holy water and incense.
The Prince of Wales spoke briefly to US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump on his way into the service, Kensington Palace says.
William also met and spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron before the taking his seat for the funeral mass.
Image source, Getty Images
Laura Gozzi
Reporting from St Peter’s Square
Communion has just been brought upstairs to the roof of the colonnade for journalists and photographers who wish to take it.
Image source, Laura Gozzi / BBC
As a sign of peace, people in the crowd are encouraged to shake hands with those near them.
Over in the dignitaries section in St Peter’s Square, President Trump can be seen shaking hands with those closest to him – including French President Emmanuel Macron.
Image source, Getty Images
As we’ve reported, Donald Trump is on the front row of the service today – it’s arranged by the (French) alphabetical order of countries, meaning the États-Unis is near Finland, France, and Estonia. Historically, French was regarded as the language of diplomacy.
Image source, Getty Images
Following on from the liturgy of the Eucharist is the communion rite.
This is where Catholics say the ritual shows the togetherness of Christians and God.
According to Catholic belief, blessing the bread turns it into the body of Christ.
You can follow the communion rite here on the order of service.
Sarah Rainsford
Reporting from St Peter’s Square
The homily – or address – after the gospel was almost 20 minutes in length, and full of colour from the Pope’s life.
At times it felt quite political, especially given who is here in the crowd.
The cardinal talked of the Pope’s call to “build bridges, not walls” – and his compassion for migrants. It’s an issue he clashed with Donald Trump over in the past – even calling his expulsion of undocumented migrants “a disgrace”.
There were ripples of applause all around me here on the street as people listened: the first came when the cardinal mentioned the Pope’s first ever foreign trip – when he went to the Italian island of Lampedusa and met refugees and migrants in a display of support.
Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor
Image source, Reuters
More now on the brief meeting Ukraine’s president had with Donald Trump just before Pope Francis’ funeral.
The White House says the two leaders met privately and had a “very productive discussion”, adding that more details would be given later.
The meeting took place inside St Peter’s Basilica after they had paid their respects to the Pope, according to Italy’s Rai TV, rather than at the US embassy as expected.
This is the first time they have met since that tempestuous meeting in the Oval Office at the end of February, when Zelensky was accused of not saying thank you for US aid to Ukraine.
Only this week, Trump said Zelensky had “no cards to play” in a peace deal with Russia.
Daniel Wittenberg
Reporting from Rome
Meanwhile, on the other side of Rome, people from around the world are already starting to queue at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, where the late pontiff will be interred after today’s funeral.
Several hundred have arrived, hoping to secure a spot on the square in front of the church.
New friendships are being made. Simona from Turin met Teresa from Rome while waiting outside the church.
“I wanted to be here to honour him,” Simona says. “I can’t not be here.”
Image caption,
Teresa, left, sits with her new friend, Simona
Next on the order of service we have the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
This is the part of the ceremony where bread and wine are consecrated and become the body and blood of Christ. It is then shared.
Then, this will be followed by more prayers which you can follow on the order of service here.
Laura Gozzi
Reporting from St Peter’s Square
There was long applause when the cardinal talked about the need to end wars.
There was no clapping – as far as I could see – from the heads of state. But they did clap when the cardinal asked the Pope to pray for us.
The homily has now ended.
The Pope was faced with the raging wars of recent years, Cardinal Re notes, and he “incessantly raised his voice” to call for peace.
“War, he said, results in the death of people and the destruction of homes, hospitals and schools. War always leaves the world worse than it was before: it is always a painful and tragic defeat for everyone,” Cardinal Re says quoting the Pope.
“Build bridges, not walls” was something Pope Francis repeated many times, he adds.
Laura Gozzi
Reporting from St Peter’s Square
There was big applause here in St Peter’s Square when Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re said the Pope’s first trip was to Lampedusa, and that he celebrated a mass at the border between Mexico and the US.
The cardinal is now commemorating the Pope’s work to serve refugees and displaced people, highlighting that his first journey as Pope was to the southern Italian island of Lampedusa, which many migrants have used as a gateway to the EU.
That visit was “significant”, he says, noting that the island symbolises “the tragedy of emigration, with thousands of people drowning at sea”.
“In the same vein was his trip to Lesbos, together with the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Archbishop of Athens, as well as the celebration of a Mass on the border between Mexico and the United States during his journey to Mexico.”

Read more about that visit to Lampedusa and his work with refugees here.

The Vatican says 200,000 people are attending the Pope’s funeral in St Peter’s Square and the surrounding area.
Meanwhile, Italian police have updated their earlier figure, putting the number at around 150,000 – that includes around 50,000 gathered in St Peter’s Square itself.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Reuters

Page 4

Image source, Getty Images
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re is continuing with the homily, and is now paying homage to Pope Francis’ “pastoral leadership”, which he says was maintained “through his resolute personality”.
“He established direct contact with individuals and peoples, eager to be close to everyone, with a marked attention to those in difficulty, giving himself without measure, especially to the marginalised, the least among us,” he says.
“He was a Pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone. He was also a Pope attentive to the signs of the times and what the Holy Spirit was awakening in the Church.”
We are now hearing from the dean of the College of Cardinals – Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.
He is delivering the homily which you can follow here as it is read out.
The homily begins with the cardinal remembering Pope Francis and his legacy:

Quote Message

The outpouring of affection that we have witnessed in recent days following his passing from this earth into eternity tells us how much the profound pontificate of Pope Francis touched minds and hearts.”

Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re

Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor
Image source, Getty Images
The US president is sitting with other heads of state in the front row, close to the steps of St Peter’s Basilica. And intriguingly he and First Lady Melania are sitting between two staunch supporters of Ukraine.
Estonia’s President Alar Karis is to Melania’s left, and Finland’s Alexander Stubb to Trump’s right.
Because while the main focus is on the funeral service, considerable attention is focused on potential diplomatic moves on the sidelines.
As the US leader talks of being “very close” to a Russia-Ukraine peace deal, we know that Trump had a brief meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of the funeral.
For 90 minutes or more, Trump is now sandwiched between two of Zelensky’s closest allies.
He knows Stubb well, having played golf with him at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida only weeks ago. At the time Stubb said he told Trump he couldn’t trust Russia’s Putin.
If Estonia’s leader does get a chance to bend Trump’s ear, he would probably say the same.
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni takes her seat. World leaders are seated in French alphabetical order by country, with exceptions for Meloni and Argentine President Javier Milei
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron greeted one another ahead of the funeral mass
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola (L) and Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nauseda (R)
We can now bring you a moment from before the service began: as Ukraine’s President Zelensky appeared in St Peter’s Square, applause could be heard from the crowds (there are several large screens showing proceedings in the square).
Media caption,
Applause is heard as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives for the Pope’s funeral
We are now hearing the liturgy of the word.
This section asks the faithful to listen and reflect on readings from the Bible.
Pope Francis’ funeral mass includes a reading from the Acts of the Apostles (read by Kielce Gussie, a journalist from Vatican News) followed by a second reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians.
In between the two readings will be a responsorial Psalm.
Image source, Getty Images
About 140,000 people are now gathering in St Peter’s Square and the nearby streets for Pope Francis’ funeral, Italian police report.
That includes 40,000 people in St Peter’s Square itself, which is almost at capacity.
Image source, Getty Images
While the funeral takes place in St Peter’s Square, here is some diplomatic news from the sidelines.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky met Donald Trump before the service, according to Zelensky’s spokesman Serhiy Nikiforov, quoted in Ukrainian media.
Both leaders are currently in St Peter’s Square for the service.
Image source, Getty Images
Pope Francis’ funeral mass is starting and we are now hearing the entrance antiphon.
This is a selection of psalm verses or scripture passages that are traditionally sung or recited.
We have a translation of the Vatican’s full order of service, if you’d like to follow along there.
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Giovanni Battista Re (file picture)
Pope Francis’ funeral service this morning is being led by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re.
The 91-year-old Italian was ordained for the Diocese of Brescia in 1957. In 2001, Pope John Paul II proclaimed him as a cardinal.
He was elected as dean of the College of Cardinals in 2020, and Pope Francis extended his term in February this year.
He participated in the conclave of April 2005, which elected Pope Benedict XVI and in the conclave of March 2013, which elected Pope Francis.
Pope Francis’ funeral is now under way.
As a reminder, you can follow along by clicking watch live at the top of this page, or you can watch on BBC One or the BBC iPlayer.
We also have a full English version of the Vatican’s order of service here.
Lebo Diseko
BBC World Service global religion reporter, in St Peter’s Square
Image source, Reuters
Pope Francis’ coffin is now being carried out from St Peter’s Basilica into St Peter’s Square.
Remember: today’s proceedings are going to look a bit different than previous papal funerals.
For instance, Pope Francis will be laid to rest in a simple wooden casket and instead of being buried in three coffins, he’d asked to only be entombed in one.
These more humble last wishes also reflect who he was as the leader of the Catholic Church.
Throughout his tenure, he often times sided with the plight of refugees and urged compassion for people fleeing their homes.
“Sometimes foreign people are invisible,” Cedric Musau Kasongo told me. He’s a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo who met the Pope in 2023.
“To be in front of the Pope, to greet him, to hold his hand, for me it was a great gesture. I felt even more welcomed, seen, and heard.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is now outside St Peter’s Basilica and taking his seat with his wife, Victoria, joining dozens of dignitaries.
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Reuters
There appears to be a spontaneous burst of applause as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky walks down the steps of St Peter’s Basilica.
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Brazilian President Lula arrives to take his seat
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Argentine President Javier Milei arrives with a group at St Peter’s Square
Following from our previous post on Donald Trump, we can now bring you this image of the Prince of Wales bowing his head in front of Pope Francis’ coffin.
Prince William is attending the funeral on behalf of his father, King Charles.
Donald Trump has just paid his respects to Pope Francis at his closed coffin inside St Peter’s Basilica.
The US president is now heading outside to take his seat alongside other world leaders.
Media caption,
US President Trump pays respects by Pope’s coffin
Laura Gozzi
Reporting from St Peter’s Square
An announcement says the celebration is about to commence.
Bells are ringing out. Over the speakers people are being asked to refrain from waving banners and flags during the mass as a mark of respect.
Laura Gozzi
Reporting from St Peter’s Square
Image source, EPA
A section of the gospel – the passage that tells of how Mary Magdalene and other women went to Jesus’ tomb on Easter morning and found it empty, as he was resurrected – was just read out to the square.
As heads of state take their seats, Ave Maria is recited in Latin on the speakers – but is almost drowned out by the sound of police helicopters circling overhead, and the squawking of seagulls
Image source, Reuters
US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania have just arrived at St Peter’s Square to attend the funeral of Pope Francis.

Page 5

We’re less than half an hour away from Pope Francis’ funeral mass commencing.
Let’s take a look at how things have been unfolding so far this morning and what’s still to come:

07:30 BST: Archbishops and bishops gathered in the Constantine Wing, a corridor adjacent to St Peter’s Basilica – Catholic priests began congregating in St Peter’s Square
08:00 BST: Patriarchs from the Orthodox church and cardinals congregated in Saint Sebastian Chapel, inside the basilica
09:00 BST: The funeral startswhen the coffin is laid in the square in front of St Peter’s Basilica. The service will be led by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re
Approximately 10:30-10:45 BST: The funeral ends and a slow procession carrying the Pope’s coffin will make its way to his final resting place – the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
United Nations Secretary General António Guterres finds his seat amid the crowd
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Sweden’s King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia are also now taking their seats
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit have also just arrived
As we’re starting to see dignitaries arrive in St Peter’s Square, let’s take a look at where everyone will be sitting today.
There are dozens of world leaders and members of various royal families expected to attend Pope Francis’ funeral (a small sampling of that here).
They will be sitting in French alphabetical order according to the name of their country.
The exemptions to this will be Argentine President Javier Milei and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni who have their own separate spaces due to their nationalities.
The graphic below shows where they will be sat inside St Peter’s Square.
We’re now seeing pictures of former US President Joe Biden arriving at St Peter’s Square, who is attending today’s funeral with his wife Jill.
Image source, Reuters
Sarah Rainsford
Reporting from St Peter’s Square
Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
Dozens of world leaders, monarchs and dignitaries are already in town for this funeral.
We’ve also seen priests and nuns, and lots of young Catholics, hurrying through the streets, trying to get to the square and secure their place.
This is an important day for the church but it’s also a poignant personal moment for those gathering here.
The makeup of the crowd reflects some of the causes Pope Francis cared about: the homeless, migrants and refugees. We understand arrangements have even been made for some prisoners to attend, as Pope Francis often visited jails here, sometimes washing the feet of inmates as a mark of humility.
It’s also a really international crowd. We’ve met Americans, and a man from Cabo Verde, who came all the way here especially for the funeral mass.
Rosanna Pound-Woods
Reporting from Rome
At a cafe on the Via della Conciliazione, pilgrims queue for their morning coffee alongside emergency services, dignitaries, priests and journalists.
Among them are the Archduke Ferdinand Habsburg of Austria and his friend, Brother Gregory, who works at the Vatican and who will be taking part in the liturgy, giving communion.
“It’s my favourite thing to do, I get to hold Jesus for an hour,” he tells me. (In Catholic communion the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ.)
For Brother Gregory, whilst today will be a big day, it’s clear that his duty towards his religion is what’s most important.
“I feel a big responsibility to take this gift that has [been] given to me and look after it,” he tells me. “It is a real honour.”
Nick Robinson
Radio 4 Today presenter, reporting from St Peter’s Square
Here in Rome, we close one of the most remarkable chapters in the papacy’s 2,000-year history.
Inside St Peter’s Square below me, dozens of world leaders will be joined by those who live on the streets, and by migrants who crossed the Mediterranean to reach Italy.
We’re broadcasting from the roof of a former convent which Pope Francis converted into a hostel for the homeless.
Just alongside our little pop-up studio here, a group of those homeless people are having their breakfast and watching the television, seeing images of thousands of people pouring into this square, waiting to see the cavalcades as world leaders arrive.
The funeral of the man they called the People’s Pope is bringing together many of the world’s most powerful with some of the most marginalised.
Image source, EPA
For the funeral procession from St Peter’s to Santa Maria Maggiore, after the funeral, Pope Francis will make his last earthly ‘journey’ aboard a popemobile that has been adapted.
It was the solution to have an open vehicle and allow everyone to see the Pope’s coffin pass through the streets of Rome at the end of the funeral.
Laura Gozzi
Reporting from St Peter’s Square
I’ve managed to secure a spot on top of the colonnade here in St Peter’s Square.
Standing 16 metres above the throng of mourners, you can see seats filling up, with just over an hour to go until the start of the service.
Photographers from media across the world are taking snaps of the sun soaked St Peter’s Square as hymns are played on giant speakers
Laura Gozzi
Reporting from St Peter’s Square
It’s a quiet, hazy Saturday morning in Rome.
Long lines of people – teenage pilgrims, Orthodox priests, nuns – file down the streets leading to the Vatican silently as the city around them wakes up.
Many of the streets around the Vatican are closed and there’s a myriad of detours even for pedestrians, but the organisation is remarkable.
Thousands of Italian police of different branches are out in force, as well as firefighters, medics, canine unit handlers, volunteers, members of the armed forces and even park guards.
They have been called in from all sides of Italy to be in Rome today and the result is a rather joyous blend of accents from across the country, from the Sicilian to the Milanese.
Two – maybe out-of-towners – even take a break from directing the traffic to sneak in a selfie with the Vatican as a backdrop.
Tens of thousands of people are now gathering in St Peter’s Square in the Vatican for the funeral of Pope Francis.
The outdoor service is due to begin in less than two hours now.
Heads of state and royalty will attend – let’s give you a sense of what is happening in the Vatican with some of the latest images reaching us here.
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Pope Francis’ coffin will be taken from St Peter’s Square to the church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, where he will be buried in private
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
The ceremony will be simpler than those of previous popes, in line with instructions set out by Pope Francis himself
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
The strict security operation is in full swing as people gather in St Peter’s Square
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Just before 07:30 local time (06:30 BST) crowds inside the square picked up as people took their seats
Sarah Rainsford
Reporting from St Peter’s Square
Image source, Getty Images
As we headed here early this morning, we saw nuns and priests, along with other Catholics, running through the narrow cobbled streets of the Vatican anxious to secure a place on St Peter’s Square for the funeral.
There are now big groups of people heading here, including lots of young people. It’s a really international crowd – reflecting the global reach of the church.
This morning, St Peter’s was bathed in gorgeous golden light as the sun climbed in the sky. Inside, Pope Francis’ coffin is now closed, ready for today’s mass.
On the streets, there’s lots of security measures in place as you’d expect. I can see river police in a speed boat on the Tiber and there are helicopters overhead.
But the mood is relaxed. Everything seems very well organised and calm.
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania arrived at Fiumicino Airport in Rome on Friday night
Many heads of state and royals have confirmed their attendance for today’s funeral, including Prince William, French President Emmanuel Macron, Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, and Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
There are also many political figures who are expected to be in St Peter’s Square today, including:

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump
Former US President Joe Biden and former First Lady Jill Biden
Prime Minister Keir Starmer
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr
Argentine President Javier Milei

Read more about the global dignitaries who are attending the Pope’s funeral.
We’ve just received confirmation that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Rome.
He’s attending the funeral today with his wife, Olena Zelenska, and a Ukrainian delegation, according to Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne, quoting a presidential spokesman.
Zelensky had previously said he would attend the funeral. But there was still some uncertainty on Friday whether his travel plans – disrupted by air strikes in Kyiv earlier this week – would get him to Rome in time.
Ione Wells
Reporting from Buenos Aires
Pope Francis never returned to Argentina after becoming pontiff, but his appointment was still a huge source of pride for the country.
Many people remember him for his work helping the poor in the country, for example his support of soup kitchens, and his visits to prisons to wash the feet of inmates.
Some theorise that he never returned because he did not want a visit to be politicised, given the criticism from some conservatives that he was too aligned with social justice issues and left-wing politics.
While some may have disagreed about his views, one thing that unites many Argentines is their celebration of him as ‘one of them’ – someone who lived in the city, rode public transport with the public, and witnessed the issues people faced with his own eyes.
Image source, Getty Images
Pope Francis’ funeral mass is set to begin at 10:00 local time (09:00 BST), and thousands of mourners have been queuing outside St Peter’s Basilica for hours now.
One man, as seen below, has been captured by photographers watching the film Conclave on his laptop as he waits.
The film, made by German director Edward Berger, imagines what goes on behind the scenes during the secretive process of electing a new pope.
Image source, Getty Images
Traditionally, the pope’s remains would have been enclosed the day before the funeral in three nested coffins, made of cypress, lead, and oak.
Last year, however, Pope Francis requested that he be buried in a simpler wooden coffin with a zinc interior.
This is the coffin that will be seen in the funeral service and has been on display this week in St Peter’s Basilica.
Pope Francis will also be breaking with a 100-year-old tradition when he his buried. He asked to be entombed in the Santa Maria Maggiore instead of the crypt at St Peter’s Basilica.
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
The Pope’s wooden coffin – seen above – is just one of the ways he’s pared-back his funeral traditions
Public viewing of Pope Francis’ body ended on Friday evening, after the coffin carrying the late pontiff was brought to St Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning.
Over the course of those three days of lying in state, more than 250,000 people paid their respects to the late Pope, the Vatican said in a statement on Friday.
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
On Wednesday, crowds gathered in St Peter’s Square to watch as members of the clergy carried out a procession on the day the Pope’s body was transferred to the basilica
On Wednesday, the first day the pontiff’s body was viewable, the basilica stayed open all night to accommodate the crowds.
The basilica then closed at 03:00 on Friday and reopened a few hours later before shutting for good at 18:00.
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
The threat of rain on the final day of public viewing saw mourners arrive prepared to wait out the weather – come rain or shine
Image source, AP
His ascension to the papacy was one that heralded many firsts.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 17 December 1936, he was the eldest of five children. His parents had fled their native Italy to escape the evils of fascism.
Francis was the first Pope from the Americas or the Southern Hemisphere and was also the first Jesuit to be elected to the throne of St Peter – Jesuits were historically looked on with suspicion by Rome.
Many Catholics had assumed the new pontiff would be a younger man – but Cardinal Bergoglio of Argentina was already in his seventies when he became Pope in 2013.
At the time, he presented himself as a compromise candidate: appealing to conservatives with orthodox views on sexual matters while attracting the reformers with his liberal stance on social justice.
Throughout his papacy, he was determined to favour humility over pomp and grandeur. He shunned the papal limousine and insisted on sharing the bus taking other cardinals home.
In his sermons, he called for social inclusion and criticised governments that failed to pay attention to the poorest in society.
Lebo Diseko
BBC World Service global religion correspondent, reporting from the Vatican
Image caption,
Caitlin (L) and Catherine (centre) are among the crowds of people queuing ahead of Pope Francis’s funeral
It’s early in the morning here in Rome but large numbers of people are already queuing to try and get spot as close as possible to St Peter’s Square to watch Pope Francis’s funeral.
“We got here around 04:15 this morning,” says Caitlin, a New Yorker who now lives in Rome.
She says today is “a once in a lifetime experience” to “honour the Pope and his legacy and all that he’s done”.
Catherine, from Waterford in Ireland, tells me she’s prepared for “all types of weather”, with cushions, blankets, sun cream and raincoats in tow.
“In Rome this time of year you never know what to expect.”
She says she’s here to “honour the Pope’s legacy and the amazing work that he’s done”.

Page 6

Laura Gozzi

Reporting from Rome

Image source, Getty Images

The seat at the Vatican had been vacant for two days when a group of grey-clad nuns stood on St Peter’s Square and started to sing.

Softly at first then louder, as if to encourage those who joined in timidly, the nuns broke into Ave Maria.

Every so often they shuffled a few inches forward, following the queue for Pope Francis’s lying in state. And all the while they sang, their faces turned to St Peter’s Basilica to their left, their white veils glistening under their large sun hats.

It was a fitting sight for an extraordinary week in which Rome has seemed to regain its reputation as the “capital of the world” – and St Peter’s Square as the centre of the Catholic universe.

There is mourning, but also recognition that the Pope, who lived to 88, died quickly and peacefully.

Yet this isn’t the time for celebration either – that will have to wait until after today’s funeral, when the conclave will spark the usual frenzy of excitement, intrigue and inevitable speculation.

Read Laura’s full piece from Rome here

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