The funeral for Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 at the age of 88, is anticipated to draw a large crowd, including both faithful individuals from around the world and prominent global leaders.

Approximately 130 delegations, including about 50 heads of state and at least 10 other world leaders, have confirmed their attendance at the funeral, which will be held at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

President and First Lady Melania Trump, who is Catholic, will attend the funeral as a sign of respect, even though the president and the Pope have disagreed on certain issues in the past.

Neither Vice President JD Vance, who visited the Pope shortly before his death, nor his wife, Usha, are expected to be present at the funeral.

According to reports in the Italian media, former President Joe Biden is expected to be among the attendees.

Following the example of his father, King Charles III, who represented Queen Elizabeth II at Pope John Paul II’s funeral in 2005, will attend on Saturday.

His family is not expected to accompany him, but Prime Minister Kier Starmer is planning to attend the Pope’s funeral.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has reportedly canceled planned trips to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to be able to attend.

Meloni shared a tribute to Pope Francis on social media after his death, stating, “I had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his advice, his teachings, which never ceased, not even during times of trial and suffering.”

Javier Milei, the president of Pope Francis’s native Argentina, has confirmed that he will travel to Rome to pay his respects to the Pope, whom he had previously criticized.

In a statement released after the Pope’s death, Milei said, “Despite differences that seem minor today, having been able to know him in his goodness and wisdom was a true honor for me.”

Ireland, a predominantly Catholic country, will be represented by both President Michael Higgins and Prime Minister Martin at the Pope’s funeral.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed his attendance at Pope Francis’ funeral at , and he paid tribute to the Pope, saying, “We remember his prayers for peace in Ukraine. Our state will be represented in Rome at the farewell ceremony this coming Saturday.”

Zelenskyy’s last visit with the Pope was in October 2024.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has also confirmed her attendance at the Pope’s funeral, marking the first event she and Trump will attend together since he assumed office.

Numerous other world leaders are expected to be present. However, leaders from nations considered adversaries, such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as leaders from countries the Pope has publicly criticized, such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will not be attending on Saturday.

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