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

Summary

Pope Francis has been buried at Santa Maria Maggiore basilica following his funeral in the Vatican
Pope Francis "touched minds and hearts" and wanted to "build bridges, not walls", said Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who led the funeral service
Dozens of leaders and dignitaries - including Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky, and Prince William - joined an estimated 400,000 mourners who lined the streets of Rome and gathered inside St Peter's Square itself
Trump and Zelensky met inside St Peter's Basilica before the funeral - Zelensky says the meeting "has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results"
The Ukrainians also released a picture of Trump and Zelensky in conversation with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron

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People line the streets as Popemobile carries Francis' coffin through Rome

Live Reporting

Edited by Matt Spivey and Nathan Williams, with Sarah Rainsford and Laura Gozzi reporting from Rome

Starmer, Zelensky, Trump and Macron gathered before funeral masspublished at 11:49 British Summer Time
Breaking
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
Powerful image of two leaders together in sombre St Peter's momentpublished at 11:43 British Summer Time
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.
What is the 'Popemobile'?published at 11:40 British Summer Time
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
250,000 attend Pope's funeral - Vaticanpublished at 11:34 British Summer Time
Breaking
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.
Pope Francis' coffin travelling on adapted 'Popemobile'published at 11:32 British Summer Time
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.
Trump leaves St Peter's Squarepublished at 11:28 British Summer Time
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
What happens next?published at 11:20 British Summer Time
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.
World leaders mingle as bells echo across the squarepublished at 11:19 British Summer Time
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.
Pallbearers prepare Pope's coffin for final journeypublished at 11:13 British Summer Time
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.
First picture of Zelensky meeting Trump inside St Peter's Basilicapublished at 11:11 British Summer Time
Breaking
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
Cardinal blesses coffin with holy waterpublished at 11:07 British Summer Time
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
Priests distribute communion to thousands in the streetspublished at 11:02 British Summer Time
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.
Trump and Zelensky to hold second meeting later todaypublished at 11:01 British Summer Time
Breaking
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".
Final farewell as Pope Francis' funeral nears conclusionpublished at 10:38 British Summer Time
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.
Prince William briefly spoke to Trump ahead of funeralpublished at 10:37 British Summer Time
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
Square-to-roof service provided for communionpublished at 10:30 British Summer Time
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
Plenty of handshakes - including Trump and Macronpublished at 10:26 British Summer Time
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
The front row, picturedpublished at 10:22 British Summer Time
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
Communion follows the liturgy of the Eucharistpublished at 10:21 British Summer Time
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.
The homily was full of colour from Pope's life and at times felt politicalpublished at 10:20 British Summer Time
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.