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WORLD | Today 11:22

A look at world leaders set to attend Pope Francis' funeral

The death of Pope Francis has rattled the world. A look at the names of world leaders who have confirmed they will pay their respects at his funeral on Saturday.

Many world leaders have announced they will travel to Rome for Pope Francis's funeral on Saturday, which is expected to draw a huge crowd in the square in front of St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.

Here is a list of the expected VIP guests.

 

Americas 


ARGENTINA: President Javier Milei – the pope, who was born in Argentina in 1936, had a delicate relationship with politics in his homeland, but Milei hailed his "wisdom."

BRAZIL: President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife Janja – Lula has said Francis "vigorously criticised the economic models that have brought so much injustice to humanity."

UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

UNITED STATES: President Donald Trump and his wife Melania – Trump said in a social media post: "We look forward to being there!"

 

Europe

AUSTRIA: Chancellor Christian Stocker.

BELGIUM: King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, Prime Minister Bart De Wever, 

BULGARIA: Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov.

CROATIA: President Zoran Milanovic, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic. 

Croatia declared Saturday a day of national mourning.

CZECH REPUBLIC: Prime Minister Petr Fiala.

ESTONIA: President Alar Karis.

EUROPEAN UNION: EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa.

FINLAND: President Alexander Stubb.

FRANCE: President Emmanuel Macron – Macron, who cut short a visit to the Indian Ocean region after the pope's death, told reporters: "We will attend the pope's funeral as we should."

GERMANY: President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Incoming Chancellor Friedrich Merz will not attend.

GREECE: Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

HUNGARY: President Tamas Sulyok. 

IRELAND: President Michael Higgins and his wife Sabina, plus Taoiseach [prime minister] Micheal Martin.

KOSOVO: President Vjosa Osmani.

LATVIA: President Edgars Rinkevics.

LITHUANIA: President Gitanas Nauseda.

MOLDOVA: President Maia Sandu.

MONACO: Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene – Monaco's royal family has announced three days of mourning for the pope.

THE NETHERLANDS: Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima – who also has Argentine nationality – will not make the trip due to the king's birthday celebrations despite being "deeply moved" by Francis's passing, the royal family said. 

NORTH MACEDONIA: President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova.

NORWAY: Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.

POLAND: President Andrzej Duda and his wife.

PORTUGAL: President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Prime Minister Luis Montenegro.

ROMANIA: Interim President Ilie Bolojan.

SLOVAKIA: President Peter Pellegrini.

SLOVENIA: President Natasa Pirc Musar, Prime Minister Robert Golob.

SPAIN: King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia – Felipe called the pontiff "an enormous ethical beacon of our world, of our time."

UKRAINE: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife Olena Zelenska – Zelenskyy said Francis had "prayed for peace in Ukraine."

UNITED KINGDOM: Prince William representing head of state King Charles III and Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

SWEDEN: King Carl XVI Gustaf and his wife Queen Silvia, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

 

Middle East

ISRAEL: Yaron Sideman, Ambassador to the Holy See.

 

Africa

CAPE VERDE: President José María Neves.

 

Asia

PHILIPPINES: President Ferdinand Marcos and first lady Liza Marcos.

 

– TIMES/AFP
 

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