Americans Will Have to Rise Early to Watch Pope's Funeral

It begins at 4am Eastern on Saturday, with President Trump and Joe Biden in attendance
Posted Apr 25, 2025 10:21 AM CDT
Americans Will Have to Rise Early to Watch Pope's Funeral
A woman holds a wooden cross and a religious card in her phone case as she waits in line to enter St. Peter's Basilica where Pope Francis is lying in state, at the Vatican, Friday, April 25, 2025.   (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

One current and one former US president will be in Vatican City on Saturday for the funeral of Pope Francis. Former President Biden's office said Friday that he and wife Jill will be there, reports CBS News. President Trump and first lady Melania also are flying to Rome Friday night to attend, though it does not appear that former Presidents Clinton, Bush, or Obama will go.

  • When: The funeral mass begins at 10am local time, which is 4am Eastern. The BBC has the order of the service in advance.

  • How to watch: The Vatican News Service will have a live-stream here, notes NPR. The major US networks also plan live coverage.
  • Who else: A slew of world dignitaries will join the Bidens and Trumps, and the Washington Post has a running list. It includes Prince William, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, UK leader Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and many, many others.
(More Joe Biden stories.)

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