At 20 the closure of the coffin. Trump will sit near Macron but far from Zelensky, who asked for a bilateral interview
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A silent siege, in Rome, for pay homage to Pope Francis. Even today, Friday 25 April 2025, thousands of people are going through Piazza San Pietro for the extreme greeting to the Pontiff. The Basilica will remain open until 7pm, which will follow the rite of the closing of the coffin. Gabriele Gravina, Luciano Spalletti and Gianluigi Buffon were also present in San Pietro. The homage to the body is part of a context already made difficult by arrivals in the capital for the spring bridge: the Ministry of the Interior estimates beyond 200 thousand presences related to the event. Meanwhile, the cardinals met this morning for the fourth general congregation, while the intricate arrangement of the world leaders expected at the funeral on Saturday is defined.
The preparations in Santa Maria Maggiore
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In the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore we work to prepare the burial of Pope Francis. The tomb, made of Chiara Stone – a marine limestone used since the time of ancient Rome – will welcome the Pope’s body starting from Saturday. The word “Franciscus” on the marble slab is currently visible: a last moment intervention is being evaluated to make it more readable, in line with the sober style wanted by Jorge Mario Bergoglio. In the meantime, the Basilica of San Pietro, which remained open until 2.30 on Thursday night, has already welcomed Over 128 thousand people in less than 48 hours.
The funeral of Pope Francis
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The funeral ceremony is scheduled for Saturday 26 Aprilat 10, on the churchyard of the Basilica of San Pietro. The liturgy will be chaired by Cardinal Decano Giovanni Battista Re. The arrival of at least one is expected hundreds of official delegations. Among the first to confirm the presence the ecumenical patriarch Bartolomeo, “fraternal friend” of Pope Francis, who decided to give up the expected meeting of the end of May in Nicea to be present in Rome. Meanwhile, while the translation of the body from Casa Santa Marta goes on, the congregations of the cardinals continue: today they found themselves for a first exchange, while the session tomorrow at 17 will mark theStart of the comparison in view of the next conclave.
The tetris of world leaders
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As for the funeral of John Paul II, also in this case the arrangement of the heads of state will be regulated by theFrench alphabet and the importance of the national representative. The first files will be reserved for Italy and Argentinafollowed by the Catholic and non -Catholic houses, then by the heads of state and gradually by representatives with a decreasing role. Donald Trumpamong the first to confirm the presence with his wife Melania on the 55th birthday of the First Lady, should Sit between Eswatini and Ethiopia. Not far away Emmanuel Macronwhile the Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelenskywho has already asked for a bilateral interview with Trump after the failed meeting in Washington, he will be placed farther. Among the confirmed reals, the Prince William with the premier Keir Starmer For the United Kingdom, Felipe and Letizia for Spain, Filippo and Matilde For Belgium, Carlo XVI Gustavo with Silvia for Sweden, Haakon and Puna-Marit for Norway and Prince Alberto with Charlène for Monaco. Dutch sovereigns absentGuglielmo Alessandro and Maxima, for the coincidence with the king’s day, the sovereign birthday. International institutions will be represented by Antonio Guterres For the UN. José Maria Nees is expected from Africa for Capo Verde. Cairo has announced the sending of a high-level al-Azhar delegation: there may also be the sheikh Ahmed El-Tayyeb, who called Pope Francis “our dear friend who dedicated his life to the service of humanity”.
absent
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Numerous prominent absences. Vladimir Putin It will be represented by the Minister of Culture, Olga Lyubimova, while Israel has chosen to send the ambassador to the Holy See, Yaron Sideman. Benjamin Netanyahuwanted by the International Criminal Court and in open controversy with the Vatican for the positions on Gaza, he gave up. Also the China remains silentWhile Taiwan He will be present with the former vice-president Chen Chien-Jen, after giving up the president William Lai.
The world of sport cries Pope Francis
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Pope Francis has always lived sport as a universal language, a school of life with educational value and capable of building peace bridges, even in the darkest moments in history. And among the thousands of people who in these hours are fonding in the Vatican, there are also some representatives of the world of sport, united in condolence. This morning in the Basilica of San Pietro the president of the FIGC were present Gabriele Gravinathe technical commissioner of the national team Luciano Spalletti and the blue chiefization Gianluigi Buffon. “Sport is full of people who, with the sweat of the forehead, beat who was born with talent in his pocket,” Bergoglio once said.
La Gazzetta dello Sport
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