Overview

• Julian Assange, accompanied by his wife Stella and their children, attended Pope Francis’s funeral in St Peter’s Square on Saturday, April 26, 2025.
• The family’s presence at the Vatican underscored their appreciation for the Pope’s moral and diplomatic support during Assange’s years of legal battles.
• Stella Assange shared that Pope Francis had written to Julian in prison, offered Vatican asylum, and met with her and their children in June 2023 to discuss efforts to secure his release.
• Assange’s attendance follows his June 2024 release from Belmarsh Prison after a plea deal with U.S. authorities dropped 17 espionage charges in exchange for a single guilty plea.
• The funeral, attended by world leaders and a crowd of around 200,000, highlighted Pope Francis’s legacy, including his advocacy for Assange’s cause.