The head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, was buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in the Vatican, where his body was transferred from St. Peter's Basilica.
Tens of thousands of people in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.
The funeral was attended by believers from all over the world, world leaders, Catholic officials, representatives of Orthodox churches, a large number of priests, nuns, young Catholics, as well as pilgrims.
"The rite (of the funeral) was held according to the regulations of the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, and it ended at 13.30:XNUMX p.m.," the Vatican said in a statement, according to Sky News.
In front of that basilica, located about six kilometers from the Vatican, the pope's body was met by 40 members of marginalized groups, for which he particularly advocated during the service, including migrants, homeless, prisoners and transgender people.
The funeral in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore was attended by only those closest to them, and the Pope's simple, wooden coffin was welcomed with bells.
Pope Francis, according to his own wishes, was buried in a tomb in the floor, in a small niche, between the Paolini Chapel and the Sforza Chapel, which is the first time since 1903 that the head of the Roman Catholic Church was buried outside the Vatican, when Pope Leo XIII was buried in the Lateran Basilica.
At least 400.000 people attended the funeral
At least 400.000 people gathered at the Vatican for Pope Francis' funeral and lined the streets to watch his casket being carried to the Santa Maria Maggiore church for burial, according to Italy's interior minister.
"We estimate that there were no less than 400.000 people between those present in St. Peter's Square and those along the route," Matteo Piantedosi told Italian news Channel 5 (TG5).
Funeral mass completed
Before the funeral, a funeral mass was held for the head of the Roman Catholic Church led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, and the funeral procession with the Pope's casket went to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
At the end of the mass, during which he burned incense and sprinkled holy water on the casket containing the late pontiff, Cardinal Re paid his last eulogy to the pope and "committed the pope's soul to God," seeking consolation for the Roman Catholic Church.
"Dear brothers and sisters, let us entrust the soul of Pope Francis, the Catholic bishop, to God's mercy," said Re.
The Vatican announced that around 200.000 people are attending the Pope's funeral.
Many streets around the Vatican are closed, and even pedestrians have to use numerous detours, and thousands of Italian police officers from various units are deployed on the ground.
Pope Francis' coffin was sealed Friday night during a liturgical ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica, before his funeral, as some 250.000 worshipers paid their respects to the head of the Roman Catholic Church. So far, it has been confirmed that at least 130 foreign delegations will attend the funeral, and around 2.700 journalists from around the world have been accredited for tomorrow's events.
Prefect of Rome Lamberto Giannini said that today, on the occasion of the Pope's funeral, 200.000 people are expected on the streets of Rome, and 4.000 policemen will be deployed, Ansa reports.
The funeral will be attended, among others, in addition to Serbian Prime Minister ฤura Mazut, Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni, US President Donald Trump, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and French President Emmanuel Macron.
As it was announced, the Prime Minister of Serbia, ฤuro Matsut, also arrived in Rome, and later he will attend the funeral in the Vatican.
Photo: AP Photo/Andreea AlexandruFuneral of Pope Francis
Trump: I came out of respect for the Pope
The President of the United States of America Donald Trump and his wife Melania arrived in Rome last night to attend the funeral of Pope Francis.
Trump said it came "out of respect" for the pope. Today, the requiem mass will be attended in St. Peter's Church, after which the pope will be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, Reuters reported.
