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Pope Francis in his open coffin during the rite of the Confirmation of the Death of the Pontiff at the Chapel of Santa Marta in The Vatican. Photo: AFP/Vatican Media
Thousands of people gathered in St Peter's Square, Vatican City, on Saturday for the funeral of Pope Francis.
The 266th Pope died aged 88 at the Vatican on Easter Monday of a stroke and heart failure, following a long illness. He reigned for 12 years.
Read about what happened, with RNZ's blog following the funeral mass and procession.
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Nuns read through the Osservatore Romano newspaper with Pope Francis on the rear page near Santa Maria Maggiore basilica a day prior to the late Pope's funeral, in Rome on 25 April 2025. Photo: AFP / Dimitar Dilkoff
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Photo: AFP / Vatican media / Handout
Attendees and nuns stand in the street as they wait before late Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square in The Vatican on April 26, 2025. Photo: JEFF PACHOUD / AFP
Coffin of the late Pope Francis being transported from the chapel of Santa Marta to St. Peter's Basilica. Photo: AFP/ALBERTO PIZZOLI
Nuns attend a rosary for Pope Francis at the Vatican following his death. Photo: Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters
People queue on the Via della Conciliazione street ahead of late Pope Francis' funeral near the Vatican, in Rome on April 26, 2025. Photo: AFP/HENRY NICHOLLS
This photo, taken and handout on 25 April 2025 by The Vatican Media, shows France's President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron paying their respects to late Pope Francis as he lies in state at St Peter's basilica in The Vatican. Photo: AFP / Vatican Media
Photo: AFP / Vatican media / Handout
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People rest in sleeping bags on the street ahead of late Pope Francis' funeral with a view of the Mausoleum of Hadrian near the Vatican, in Rome on 26 April 2025. Photo: AFP / Dimitar Dilkoff
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A Swiss guard stands with St Peter's Basilica in the background at St Peter's Square ahead of late Pope Francis' funeral in the Vatican on 26 April 2025. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli / AFP
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Former US President Joe Biden (C/R) and his wife Jill Biden (C/L) arrive ahead of the late Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at The Vatican on April 26, 2025. Photo: AFP/FILIPPO MONTEFORTE
Argentina's President Javier Milei arrives for late Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. Photo: ALBERTO PIZZOLI
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Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his wife Anikó Lévai arrive at Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at the Vatican on 26 April 2025. Photo: Filippo Monteforte / AFP
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrives for Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at the Vatican on 26 April 2025. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli / AFP
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Britain's Prince William arrives ahead of the late Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at The Vatican on 26 April 2025. Photo: Filippo Monteforte / AFP
Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, arrives for Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at the Vatican on 26 April 2025. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli / AFP
Photo: TIZIANA FABI
Photo: HENRY NICHOLLS
Pallbearers carry the coffin of late Pope Francis during the funeral ceremony in St Peter's Square, at the Vatican, on 26 April 2025. Photo: Tiziana Fabi / AFP
Pallbearers carry the coffin of late Pope Francis during the funeral ceremony in St Peter's Square, at the Vatican, on 26 April 2025. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli / AFP
Pallbearers carry the coffin of late Pope Francis during the funeral ceremony in St Peter's Square, at the Vatican, on April 26, 2025. Photo: AFP / Alberto Pizzoli
Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, Italian Archbishop Diego Ravelli (L) kneels before the coffin of late Pope Francis during his funeral ceremony in St Peter's Square, at the Vatican, on 26 April 2025. Photo: Andreas Solaro / AFP
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Italian cardinal Giovanni Battista Re officiates the mass in front of the coffin of late Pope Francis, during the funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. Photo: AFP/ALBERTO PIZZOLI
A young faithful holds a photo of late Pope Francis during the funeral procession arrives at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore during the funeral of Pope Francis on April 26, 2025 in Rome, Italy. Photo: Alexi J. Rosenfeld / Getty Images
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A general view shows attendees during late Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at the Vatican on 26 April 2025. Photo: Mandel Ngan / AFP
Cardinals attend the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square on April 26, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. Photo: Dan Kitwood / Getty Images
A faithful reacts as she waits during Pope Francis' funeral ceremony, in central Rome on 26 April 2025 Photo: Marco Bertorello / AFP
Italian cardinal Giovanni Battista Re swings an incense burner towards the coffin of late Pope Francis with the book of the gospels displayed on it during the funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square in The Vatican on April 26, 2025. Photo: AFP/FILIPPO MONTEFORTE
A photograph taken from St Peter Basilica shows a general view of late Pope Francis' coffin during the funeral ceremony in St Peter's Square, at the Vatican, on 26 April 2025. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli / AFP
People watch Pope Francis' funeral ceremony on a large screen in Via della Conciliazione street, near the Vatican in Rome on 26 April 2025. Photo: AFP / Henry Nicholls
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Left to right: France's President's wife Brigitte Macron, France's President Emmanuel Macron Finland's President Alexander Stubb, US President Donald Trump, US First Lady Melania Trump, Estonia's President Alar Karis, Spain's King Felipe VI and Spain's Queen Letizia stand during late Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at the Vatican on 26 April 2025. Photo: Mandel Ngan / AFP
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A member of the clergy swings a thurible of incense above the coffin of late Pope Francis during the funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square in the Vatican on 26 April 2025. Photo: Andreas Solaro / AFP
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Huge crowds gathered for Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square in the Vatican on 26 April, 2025. Photo: AFP/ Tiziana Fabi
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France's President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump stand during the funeral ceremony of Pope Francis at St Peter's Square in The Vatican, on 26 April 2025. Photo: Andreas Solaro / AFP
People gather along the road as the coffin of late Pope Francis is transported from St Peter's Basilica to Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, during the funeral ceremony in Rome on April 26, 2025. Photo: AFP/ANDREJ ISAKOVIC
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The coffin of Pope Francis is seen in front of the Colosseum as it is transported from St Peter's Basilica to Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, after a funeral mass in Rome on 26 April, 2025. Photo: AFP/ Stefano Rellandini
The hearse arriving at St Mary Major - the Basilica de Santa Maria Maggiore, Pope Francis' chosen final resting place, in Rome. Photo: AFP/ Marco Bertorello
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