POPE FRANCIS: Mourners Reminded Of His Call To ‘Build Bridges Not Walls’
The funeral of Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday aged 88, is taking place in the Vatican.
Pope Francis “touched minds and hearts” and wanted to “build bridges, not walls”, said Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, leading the service.
Dozens of leaders and dignitaries – including Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky, and Prince William – have joined an estimated 200,000 mourners, with 50,000 inside St Peter’s Square itself.
Trump and Zelensky met inside St Peter’s Basilica before the funeral, with the White House calling the 15-minute conversation “very productive” – they’re due to hold another meeting after the funeral.
Trump is on the front row of the service alongside the presidents of Finland and Estonia – two staunch supporters of Ukraine.
Pope Francis
Priests distribute communion to thousands in the streets
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.
Credit: The BBC
