Canadian Delegation Among Thousands of Mourners at Pope Francis’s Funeral

Faithful wait in a line to pay their homage to the body of Pope Francis inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, on April 23, 2025, where he had laid in state for three days. The Canadian Press/AP-Domenico Stinellis

Canadians dotted throughout the crowds at St. Peter’s Square for Pope Francis’s funeral said the somewhat simple ceremony seemed a fitting farewell for the pontiff who saw himself as a pastor, not a monarch.

While those who made it into the plaza in front of the famous basilica described a solemn and reverent audience, complete with dignitaries such as Gov.-Gen. Mary Simon, the masses outside Vatican City’s walls were abuzz.