Presidents, royalty and a multitude of simple mourners bade farewell to Pope Francis on Saturday at his funeral, where a cardinal said the pontiff’s legacy of caring for migrants, the downtrodden and the environment must not die with him.
On one side of Francis’ coffin in the vast St. Peter’s Square sat US President Donald Trump, who had clashed with the pope on those issues.
“Rich in human warmth and deeply sensitive to today’s challenges, Pope Francis truly shared the anxieties, sufferings and hopes of this time,” said Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who presided over the funeral Mass.
The Argentine pope, who had reigned for 12 years, died at the age of 88 on Monday after suffering a stroke.
The crowd, who crammed the square and the roads around, broke into applause when Re spoke of Francis’ care for immigrants, his constant pleas for peace, the need for negotiations to end wars and the importance of the climate.
They clapped loudly again at the end of the service when the ushers picked up the casket and tilted it slightly so more people could see, the church bells tolling in the background.
The coffin was placed on an open-topped popemobile and driven through the heart of Rome to St. Mary Major Basilica, with thousands of people lining the route.
Francis, who shunned much of the pomp and privilege of the papacy during his 12-year reign, had asked to be buried there rather than in the crypt of St. Peter’s, which is the traditional resting place for popes.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” one woman in the crowd shouted.
Aerial views of the Vatican during the funeral showed a patchwork of colours — black from the dark garb of the world’s leaders, red from the vestments of some 250 cardinals, the purple worn by some of the 400 bishops and the white worn by 4,000 attending priests.
Choirs sang Latin hymns and prayers were recited in various languages, including Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese and Arabic, reflecting the global reach of the 1.4-billion-member Roman Catholic Church.
The Vatican estimated more than 250,000 people attended the ceremony, which lasted two hours.
Among the heads of state who flew into Rome were the presidents of the United States, Ukraine Argentina, France, Gabon, Germany, the Philippines and Poland, together with the prime ministers of Britain and New Zealand, and many royals, including the king and queen of Spain.
Francis’ death ushered in a meticulously planned period of transition, marked by ancient ritual, pomp and mourning. Over the past three days, around 250,000 people filed past his body, laid out before the altar of the cavernous basilica.
The faithful hurried to the Vatican from the early hours while many camped out to try to secure spots at the front of the crowd.
“When I arrived at the square, tears of sadness and also joy came over me. I think I truly realised that Pope Francis had left us, and at the same time, there is joy for all he has done for the Church,” said a French pilgrim, Aurelie Andre.
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