Pope Francis funeral live: Pontiff is laid to rest in front of Donald Trump, Prince William, Keir Starmer, and 250,000 mourners in Rome | HO

Pope Francis’s funeral is taking place in St Peter’s Square this morning as world leaders gather in Vatican City to pay their final respects to the head of the Catholic Church.

Vast crowds will line the square in front of St Peter’s Basilica where 250,000 people passed through to see Francis lay in state for three days following his death on Easter Monday at the age of 88.

Dozens of heads of state and royals will attend the service in the most prominent gathering of world leaders since the second inauguration of US President Donald Trump in January.

Live updates below

16:55

Pope Francis’ funeral: In pictures

As Pope Francis’ funeral draws to a close, here are a collection of some of the best photos from the service.

WATCH LIVE: Pope Francis’ funeral in the Vatican

Watch our live stream of the Pope’s funeral as world leaders gather in the Vatican to say farewell to the head of the Catholic Church.

19:03
Donald Trump and Joe Biden’s close call at Pope Francis’ funeral

President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden sat just five rows between them at Pope Francis’ funeral on Saturday, easily in the other’s sight line.

Each man had his wife at his side.

But, despite the close proximity, the two men avoided any interactions at the three-hour Catholic mass.

Trump and wife Melania sat in the front row. The Bidens were visible behind them – both Joe and Jill in sunglasses.

Donald Trump and Joe Biden’s close call at Pope Francis’ funeral

President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden sat just five rows between them at Pope Francis’ funeral on Saturday, easily in the other’s sight line.

Mail Online

18:55

World stops to pay tribute to ‘people’s pope’

Hundreds of thousands of mourners and world leaders including Donald Trump packed St Peter’s Square today for the funeral of Pope Francis.

Some waited overnight to get a seat for the ceremony, with the Vatican reporting some 200,000 people in the square and surrounding streets during the ceremony.

The crowds, packed with young people, applauded as the pope’s coffin was carried out of St Peter’s Basilica by white gloved pallbearers, accompanied by more than 200 red-robed cardinals.

Francis was ‘a pope among the people, with an open heart’, who strove for a more compassionate, open-minded Catholic Church, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re said in his funeral homily.

There was applause as he hailed the pope’s ‘conviction that the Church is a home for all, a home with its doors always open’.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, led the service, addressing hundreds of thousands of people gathered in St Peter’s Square.

18:46

Scotland’s First Minister tells of ‘very moving’ ceremony

Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney has said the funeral of Pope Francis was ‘very moving’ and ‘uplifting’, after attending the ceremony in the Vatican.

Speaking from St Peter’s Square, he said: ‘It’s been a very moving ceremony, a very dignified ceremony, paying tribute to a life of service in arguing for the protection of the poor and to support those who seek justice.

‘But also an uplifting service about the hope for the world that Pope Francis conveyed.’

He spoke about his own experience of Christianity, saying it ‘makes me who I am’.

Mr Swinney said he had been baptised a Protestant but worships in the Catholic Church with his wife and son.

He said: ‘My wife and son are Catholics, I am not a member of the Catholic Church. But what for me matters is the deep anchoring of faith in my life.

‘It makes me who I am. It connects me with the love of God and it also connects me with the important teachings of doing unto others as I would have done unto me.

‘That drives my whole approach to life and it drives the political leadership and the national leadership I exercise as First Minister of Scotland.’

18:40

FIFA President spotted in funeral crowd

Sat amongst royalty and world leaders from around the globe, one man who attended Pope Francis’ funeral stood out from the rest.

President of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, watched on as he joined other mourners attending the ceremony – all 250,000 of them.

18:34

Watch: Pope Francis arrives at beloved Basilica for the last time

Emotions run high as mourners say final goodbyes

Emotions are running high in Rome after mourners said their final goodbyes to Pope Francis, minutes ago.

His coffin has now been transported to its final resting place, with a private entombment planned for later today.

The public will be able to visit Francis’ tomb from Sunday morning.

In the meantime, mourners have been seen in tears as they felt the loss of the Argentine pope.

Pope Francis, who died on Monday aged 88, was hailed as a progressive pontiff and was the first South America leader of the Catholic Church.

18:23

Zelensky: Trump meeting ‘has potential to become historic’

Ukrainian President Zelensky has praised a meeting with US President Donald Trump, describing it as a ‘good meeting’ and ‘has potential to become historic’.

The pair met in Rome to discuss agreeing a ceasefire with Russia to end the way in Ukraine.

Zelensky said: ‘Good meeting. We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered.

‘Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out.

‘Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results. Thank you @POTUS’.

However there was no mention made of a second meeting, which had been briefed by the Ukrainian government before Pope Francis’ funeral.

President Trump has since boarded Air Force One and is expected to leave Italy imminently.