Pope Francis‍‍` funeral staged in front of St Peter‍‍‍‍`s Square, CA Yunus in attendance

Pope Francis‍‍` wooden coffin was carried into St Peter’s Square on Saturday, marking the beginning of a solemn funeral Mass attended by mourners from around the world, including global leaders, clerics, and pilgrims.

Applause broke out as the coffin, adorned with a large cross, was brought out of St Peter’s Basilica by 14 white-gloved pallbearers, under the bright morning sun. Bells tolled as dignitaries from over 150 countries took their seats, among them Bangladesh’s interim Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and US President Donald Trump, who had frequently clashed with Francis over immigration policy.

The open-air Mass, led by 220 cardinals, 750 bishops, and more than 4,000 priests, was scheduled to last about 90 minutes. The pope‍‍`s casket was placed before the altar on a carpet, with the Book of Gospels laid on top, as Vatican choirs filled the square with hymns.

Rows of red-robed cardinals sat to one side of the altar, facing black-suited world leaders on the other, with hundreds of priests and thousands of mourners stretching behind them. Many of the faithful had camped out overnight to secure front-row spots.

“We want to say goodbye because he was a living saint, very humble and simple," said Mary James, a Franciscan nun who waited through the night.

Pope Francis, aged 88, passed away on Monday after suffering a stroke. His death initiated a period of official mourning and transition for the 1.4 billion-member Roman Catholic Church.

In the days leading up to the funeral, approximately 250,000 people paid their respects as Francis‍‍` body lay in an open coffin before the grand altar of St Peter‍‍`s Basilica.

Prior to the Mass, Trump and his wife Melania visited the basilica to pay their respects. The coffin was sealed on Friday night.

World leaders attending the funeral included the presidents of Argentina, France, Gabon, Germany, the Philippines, and Poland, as well as the prime ministers of Britain and New Zealand, alongside numerous European royals. Applause rippled through the crowd when Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived. Zelenskiy and Trump reportedly met while in Rome, though details of their discussions were not disclosed.

The Vatican anticipated around 250,000 mourners filling St Peter’s Square and surrounding areas for the ceremony, which was led by 91-year-old Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.

"You can feel a lot of energy, yes, some exhaustion because we are tired, but ultimately we want to come and say ‍‍`thank you‍‍` to Pope Francis for all he did for the Church," said Eduardo Valencia, a visitor from Mexico.

As the first non-European pope in nearly 1,300 years, Francis spent his 12-year papacy championing the poor and marginalized, urging action on climate change, and promoting global unity. A formal summary of his life and mission, written in Latin, was placed beside his body, praising his "wonderful testimony of humanity, a holy life, and universal fatherhood."

Despite his efforts, Francis faced pushback from traditionalists within the Church, and his calls for peace and economic justice often went unheeded.

In keeping with his lifelong commitment to humility, Francis requested a simple funeral, breaking from elaborate traditions. Instead of the customary three nested coffins of cypress, lead, and oak, he was placed in a single, zinc-lined wooden casket.

He will also be the first pope in more than a century to be buried outside the Vatican, at Rome’s Basilica of St Mary Major, approximately 5.5 kilometers from St Peter’s Square. His tomb bears only "Franciscus" and a replica of the plain iron cross he once wore.

The funeral motorcade will pass through Rome, giving the public a final opportunity to bid farewell. Italian authorities launched one of their largest security operations since the funeral of Pope John Paul II, closing city airspace and deploying anti-aircraft systems and naval patrols.

Following the funeral, attention will turn to the upcoming conclave to elect Francis’ successor. The secretive process is unlikely to begin before May 6, allowing time for cardinals to gather, deliberate, and prepare for a critical decision amid the Church’s ongoing financial and ideological challenges.