Parliament Speaker Kurtulmus to attend Pope Francis’ funeral alongside global leaders
Speaker of the Turkish Parliament Numan Kurtulmus speaks during an iftar program at the Parliament Ceremony Hall on 10 March, 2025. (AA Photo)
Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus will travel to the Vatican to represent Türkiye at Pope Francis’ funeral on Saturday, joining a gathering of global leaders paying their final respects to the reform-minded pontiff who died Monday at age 88.
The Vatican has confirmed that at least 130 foreign delegations will attend the funeral, including approximately 50 heads of state and 10 reigning monarchs, making it one of the largest gatherings of world leaders in recent years.
Pope Francis, who passed away following continued health issues that included a five-week hospital stay earlier this year, was the first Latin American pope and the first non-European to hold the position in more than 1,200 years.
The outdoor funeral service will be held in front of St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday, April 26, where leaders from across political divides will converge in a rare display of global unity.
Around 50 heads of state, 10 monarchs to attend Pope’s funeral
U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will attend the service, potentially setting the stage for significant diplomatic encounters with other world leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Trump’s attendance comes despite what observers had described as tense relations between the administration and the Vatican in recent months over immigration policies.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife Olena will also attend, having last met with the pope during Zelenskyy’s European diplomatic tour in October 2024.
From Pope Francis’s native Argentina, President Javier Milei—once an outspoken critic of the pontiff—will travel to Rome for the funeral. Argentina has declared seven days of national mourning following the pope’s death.
British representation will include Prince William, standing in for his father King Charles III, alongside Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Other European monarchs attending include Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, Belgium’s King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, Monaco’s Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene, Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, and Denmark’s Queen Mary.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a longtime friend of Pope Francis who will represent the world’s largest Catholic population, called the pope “a voice of compassion and respect” whose loss will be felt by all of humanity.
The funeral will also be attended by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., whose country has Asia’s largest Catholic population. Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle is considered among the top contenders to be appointed as the next pope.
Other notable attendees include U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and numerous other heads of state and government representatives from across Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
The Vatican made the announcement of Pope Francis’s death with the statement: “Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized.”
