Attending Pontiff's Funeral: Numerous State Leaders to Grace the Occasion, Ranging from Close associates to those with more complex relationships with the late Pope.

Friday saw a flock of world leaders touch down in Rome, gearing up for Pope Francis's Saturday burial. Despite the low-key vibe, this affair's still set to make history.

Old Saint Nick kicked the bucket on Monday, thanks to a heart failure after a stroke at 88. He was adored for his humble and compassionate nature, particularly towards the downtrodden.

Curiosity Piquers

When a pope passes, it's a mega shakeup for the Catholic Church, and the burial, alongside the selection of a fresh Pope, normally go down in grand style. Yet, our late Pontiff wished for a simple ceremony: His wooden coffin'll be laid to rest in an unmarked tomb.

Still, 170 foreign bigwigs have RSVP'd - lots of heads of state included. With not everyone seeing eye to eye, meaning there's likely to be a sprinkle of diplomatic drama.

Let's Huddle Up

Here's who's gonna be there:

Time for the Main Event

The ceremony kicks off at 10 am CET (08:00 GMT) on Saturday, April 26, taking place at St Peter's Square in Vatican City. Popes usually end up under St Peter's Basilica but, in an unusual twist, Santa Maria Maggiore church, a short jaunt from the bustling Termini central train station, is our Pope's choice for the final resting place.

During his lifetime, Santa Maria Maggiore was his fave church, and he paid visits often as his health ebbed. Established in the 14th century, it's one of Rome's grand basilicas and dedicated to Mother Mary.

Attendees Incoming

Several bigwigs, royals, and heads of state have confirmed their attendance for the funeral on Saturday. Some of 'em were cool with our Pope while others weren't always in agreement.

U.S.A.

The Big Cheese himself, Donald Trump, is droppin' by, stating Pope Francis was a "sweet man" who had his arms around humanity. The Good Ol' US of A will fly their flags at half-staff. But things weren't always sunshine and roses between these two. Pope Francis voiced his thoughts on Trump's immigration policies, callin' a border wall anti-Christian.

Trump didn't exactly take kindly to that, firing back with a comment 'bout the Pope questionin' his faith, describin' it as "disgraceful." They met in 2017 at the Vatican, with Trump claimin' their chat was "superb" and the Pope was a "terrific" guy.

U.K.

In a sad statement, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer shared his sorrow for the news. "The Pope's leadership during a complex and challenging time was often brave, always stemming from a place of deep humility," Starmer penned.

William, Prince of Wales, will step in for the British royal family. King Charles spoke kindly of the Pope, sayin' his compassion'd leave a lasting mark.

Ukraine

The Pope encouraged peace in Ukraine amid its war, conductin' a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2020. However, they weren't always on the same page. Just months before the funeral, the Pope said that when you're defeated, it takes courage to negotiate.

Ukraine lashed out at this viewpoint.

Brazil

With more than 100 million Catholics callin' Brazil home, it's no surprise Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's earged a spot on the guest list. He decreed a seven-day mourning period to honor the Pope's passing.

Philippines

Philippines, another major Catholic country, chose President Ferdinand Marcos Jr as its representative. Nearly 80% of the population identify as Catholic.

And More

Other VIP guests include French President Emmanuel Macron, Poland's President Andrzej Duda, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Moldova's President Maia Sandu, Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, Ireland's Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Croatia's President Zoran Milanovic, Latvia's President Edgars Rinkevics, Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia, Denmark's Queen Mary, Austria's Chancellor Christian Stocker, Bulgaria's Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov, India's President Droupadi Murmu, Bangladesh's Interim leader Muhammad Yunus, New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, the Dominican Republic President Lui Abinader, Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa, Central African Republic's President Faustin-Archange Touadera, Gabon's President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Cape Verde's President Jose Maria Neves, and more.

So Long, Won't See You Long

Presidents Putin and Netanyahu are stayin' home for this shindig. They've got war crimes allegations on their plates, making an appearance a no-go.

Tensions Rising?

Probably. Some awkward moments are expected given the geopolitical climate. Trump's trade tariffs and commentary on recent wars in Ukraine and Gaza have fueled tensions. This weekend will be his first meet-up with Ukranian Prez Zelenskyy since their heated White House encounter, which, FYI, involved Trump scolding Zelenskyy for not negotiating with Russia and Vinny criticizin' the US for a lack of gratitude. It gets hairier: Trump recently took Ukraine to task again for refusin' to recognize Russia's control of Crimea.

There could be friction between Trump and Frenchie Macron too, given Macron's disapproval of Trump's tariff war. In an alphabetical seating plan, Macron'll at least avoid hittin' Trump's table.

Stay tuned for more updates. Who knows what twists this funeral might bring.

The breaking news of Pope Francis's funeral will likely be a significant event in general-news, sidelining other stories temporarily.
The funeral will be a gathering of influential figures from various parts of the world, including leaders in the realm of human rights, health, economy, and politics, such as Donald Trump from the United States and Emmanuel Macron from France.
The health sector may experience a brief focus due to the passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who had a heart failure after a stroke at 88.
There's anticipated to be a sprinkle of diplomatic drama at the funeral given the diverse opinions and not always agreeing viewpoints of the attending leaders, particularly between Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The economy will also be in focus as some countries, including the United States and Ukraine, have declared mourning periods.
Immigration will remain a critical point of discussion, as Pope Francis had expressed his disapproval of certain immigration policies, such as those implemented by Donald Trump.