Dozens of world leaders are expected to attend the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday at St. Peter’s Square, where a massive crowd is anticipated to pay final respects to the first Latin American pontiff.
From the Americas, several heads of state have confirmed their attendance at the Vatican ceremony.
U.S. President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, announced their plans to attend in a social media post, stating: “We look forward to being there!” Their presence underscores the pope’s role as a global spiritual figure, even amid political differences during his papacy.
Argentina’s President Javier Milei will also be present. Though Pope Francis had a complicated relationship with politics in his homeland, Milei praised his “wisdom,” reflecting a reconciliatory tone at this historical moment. Born in Buenos Aires in 1936, Francis was Argentina’s first pontiff and frequently spoke out on inequality and corruption in the region.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and First Lady Janja da Silva are also expected to attend. Lula, a long-time admirer of the pope’s progressive stances, remembered Francis as a leader who “vigorously criticized the economic models that have brought so much injustice to humanity.”
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres will attend, alongside Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos and First Lady Liza Marcos, according to their respective offices.
A strong contingent of European leaders is also confirmed.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council head António Costa are among the EU representatives. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prince William will attend on behalf of King Charles III.
Ireland will be represented by President Michael Higgins and Prime Minister Micheál Martin. Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, along with French President Emmanuel Macron — who cut short a trip to the Indian Ocean region — have confirmed their participation.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska, will also attend, highlighting the pope’s enduring calls for peace amid global conflict.
Leaders from Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Hungary, Austria, and Slovenia are expected, along with the presidents of the Baltic states: Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Monaco’s Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene, and heads of state from the Czech Republic, Kosovo, Moldova, Romania, and Slovakia will also be in Rome.
Notably absent will be Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose attendance was ruled out by the Kremlin amid ongoing international legal challenges.
The funeral of Pope Francis is expected to draw one of the largest gatherings of global dignitaries in recent memory.