Workers lifted Pope Francis's coffin to travel to Santa Maria Maggiore church. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re blessed the wooden box with holy water and burned incense as a cleansing ritual during the ceremony. Church bells rang exactly at noon local time after the blessing finished. The area fell silent except for helicopter noise overhead.
Earlier, priests wearing white robes walked through the streets around St Peter's Square. They carried golden cups filled with communion wafers for the crowd. People rushed forward to receive communion from these ministers. Many clapped when the choir stopped singing. The large group spread throughout nearby roads to serve everyone attending.
Trump met Zelensky in Rome before Pope Francis's funeral today. The White House called their talk very productive but gave no other details. This happened right after Trump claimed Russia and Ukraine were close to making peace. His messenger, Steve Witkoff, visited Moscow Friday to speak with Putin for three hours. Russian officials said the meeting helped both countries better understand each other about Ukraine and other world problems.
Both leaders joined other important guests at the Vatican service, such as Prince William and French President Macron. Witkoff has gone to Russia four times since January on Trump's behalf. Putin aide Yuri Ushakov mentioned they discussed possible direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials...
President Trump sat between two Ukrainian supporters at Pope Francis' funeral. Estonian President Alar Karis took a seat next to Melania Trump, and Finland President Alexander Stubb sat on Trump's other side. Both leaders strongly backed Ukraine against Russia.
Trump met with Ukrainian President Zelensky before the ceremony started. The brief talk happened as Trump claims he is nears a peace deal for the war. For over 90 minutes during the service, Trump remained between these two allies of Ukraine.
Trump knows Stubb personally from golfing together recently at the Mar-a-Lago resort. During that Florida visit, Stubb warned Trump about trusting Putin. The Estonian leader would likely give Trump similar advice if they spoke today.
President Ruto arrived in Rome for Pope Francis' funeral. He joins many world leaders among the expected 250,000 mourners at the service. The Pope died Easter Monday from stroke complications that caused heart failure.
Francis, breaking tradition, requested burial in a simple wooden coffin with a zinc lining. He also asked to rest at Santa Maria Maggiore church instead of St Peter's Basilica crypt, where popes normally go. The Argentine-born church leader made history as the first pope from the Americas when elected in 2013.
Francis came from Italian parents who fled fascism. He took office in his seventies, becoming the first Jesuit pope. He balanced conservative views on sexual matters with liberal ideas about social justice...
According to Vatican officials, around 200,000 people filled St Peter's Square for Pope Francis's funeral. Italian police estimate a lower number at 150,000, with about 50,000 inside the square itself.
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re leads the service today. The 91-year-old Italian became a priest in 1957 for the Brescia Diocese. Pope John Paul II made him a cardinal in 2001. He was elected dean of cardinals in 2020, with Pope Francis extending his term earlier this year. He helped choose both Benedict XVI and Francis during the past elections.
The morning schedule started at 7:30, when bishops gathered near St Peter's Basilica while priests went to the square. At 8:00, Orthodox church leaders met inside Saint Sebastian Chapel. The...
Kiraitu Murungi says his Devolution Empowerment Party stands alone and has no ties to the Kenya Kwanza coalition. The former Meru Governor made it clear his Bus Party remains free to make independent political choices. He stated they never signed any pre-election or post-election agreements with other political groups.
Party leaders deny having any formal deals registered with the Registrar of Political Parties. Former Embu Senator Lenny Kivuti claims their party has been left out since the last election. The announcement comes days after former Agriculture Secretary Mithika Linturi joined ex-Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's team.
The Bus Party plans to run a candidate in the upcoming Mbeere North special election. This follows MP...
Virginia Giuffre killed herself at age 41 on her farm in Western Australia. Her family said Friday that she fought against sexual abuse, but the pain became unbearable. She had accused Prince Andrew of abuse when she was 17, though he denied these claims. Police found her unresponsive Friday night at her home near Perth.
Giuffre served as a main witness against Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, who she said trafficked her. She lived with her husband, Robert, and three children, though reports suggest they recently split after 22 years together. Three weeks ago, she posted about a car accident, which police later said was less serious than reported. Her spokesperson called her extraordinary and a beacon for other victims.
Prince...
World leaders will join thousands at Pope Francis's funeral Saturday in St Peter's Square. Prince William represents King Charles among the many royals coming to the service. President Trump makes his first foreign trip since taking office to attend with his wife, Melania. Leaders have seats on the right side facing the church, with Argentina near the front, followed by others in French alphabetical order.
Brazil President Lula declared seven days of mourning for the pope, who led the largest Catholic nation. President Zelensky plans to come despite military meetings after a strike on Kyiv. The Philippines' president called Francis the best pope of his lifetime after the pontiff drew six million people during his 2015 visit there...
Workers carried Pope Francis from the basilica into St Peter's Square today. The funeral looks different from past papal ceremonies. Francis chose a simple wooden casket instead of the traditional three-nested coffins for his burial, which matches how he led the Catholic Church during his life.
The Pope often supported refugees throughout his leadership. He showed care for people who left their homes behind. Cedric Musau Kasongo met Francis in 2023 after fleeing the Democratic Republic of Congo. Kasongo felt truly noticed when he greeted the Pope personally. The refugee said meeting Francis made him feel welcomed, seen, and heard when many foreign people remain invisible to others.
