A sea of world leaders will converge on Saint Peter’s Square tomorrow for the state funeral of Pope Francis, marking the end of a papacy that reshaped the global conversation on compassion, justice, and faith. Among the earliest to confirm his attendance was U.S. President Donald Trump, whose administration often found itself at odds with the late pontiff, especially on issues of immigration and social justice.
Vice President JD Vance holds the somber distinction of being the last global leader to meet Pope Francis in person, during a private audience on Easter Sunday—just one day before the Pope passed away.
Despite their ideological differences, Pope Francis remained committed to dialogue with U.S. leadership, believing in engagement over estrangement as a path toward policy change. That spirit of diplomacy is reflected in the wide array of international figures expected to pay their respects, many of whom had personal interactions with the Pope during his decade-long leadership of the Catholic Church.
Confirmed dignitaries include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The President of Argentina—Francis’ homeland—Javier Milei, will also be in attendance.
Uganda’s Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, will lead her country’s official delegation, joining a diverse roster of global heads of state, royalty, and political leaders.
Here is the list of key dignitaries who will attend the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday:
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Argentina: President Javier Milei
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Belgium: King Philippe, Queen Mathilde, Prime Minister Bart De Wever
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Britain: Prince William, Prime Minister Keir Starmer
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Brazil: President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, First Lady Janja Lula da Silva
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European Union: Ursula von der Leyen (Commission President), Antonio Costa (Council President), Roberta Metsola (Parliament President)
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East Timor: President José Ramos-Horta, Foreign Minister Bendito Freitas
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France: President Emmanuel Macron
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Germany: President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz
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Hungary: President Tamás Sulyok
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Italy: President Sergio Mattarella, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
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Latvia: President Edgars Rinkēvičs
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Lithuania: President Gitanas Nausėda
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Poland: President Andrzej Duda
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Romania: Interim President Ilie Bolojan
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Spain: King Felipe, Queen Letizia
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Switzerland: President Karin Keller-Sutter
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Uganda: Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among
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Ukraine: President Volodymyr Zelenskiy
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United States: President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump
The funeral is expected to draw millions of mourners from across the world, both in-person and via global broadcasts, in one of the largest religious gatherings in modern history.
