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Vatican City, Apr 26 (AP) World dignitaries and Catholic faithful attended Pope Francis' funeral in St. Peter's Square on Saturday.
Despite the presence of presidents and princes, prisoners and migrants ushered him into the basilica where he will be buried, reflecting his priorities as pope, as hundreds of thousands have flocked to the funeral Mass.
US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, the UN chief and European Union leaders, as well as Prince William and the Spanish royal family, were in attendance.
Francis is breaking with recent tradition and will be buried in the St. Mary Major Basilica, where a simple underground tomb awaits him with just his name: Franciscus.
Here is the latest:
Francis' coffin is inside St. Mary Major Basilica
Pope Francis' coffin was met by bishops and top cardinals in St. Mary Major Basilica, where he will be buried in a private ceremony later Saturday.
Pallbearers paused before the icon of the Madonna that Francis revered in a final salute, and four children lay white roses at the altar of the chapel that contains the icon.
The pallbearers then continued with the coffin toward the niche where Francis will be buried beneath a simple tombstone bearing his name in Latin.
The Vatican media footage returned to the icon and then to the basilica's exterior to allow the burial to proceed in private.
Francis will be buried in a private ceremony later Saturday
Pope Francis' coffin has arrived at St. Mary Major Basilica, where he will be buried in a private ceremony later Saturday.
It was met by about 40 migrants, prisoners, homeless and transgender people each holding a white rose. Their inclusion was emblematic of his care for the marginalised. Francis is the first pope to be buried outside of the Vatican in 100 years.
More people turn out in Rome to watch the motorcade
The motorcade for the pope's coffin is continuing through Rome's historic centre, where the crowds have thickened.
People were on the steps of the Tomb of the Unknown soldier to catch a glimpse of the papal coffin. It continued past the ancient Roman Forum and Colosseum, to applause and shouts of “Il Papa!” (the pope).
The motorcade with the coffin is making its way across Rome
Crowds applauded and yelled “Papa Francesco!” as a slow-moving motorcade escorting the pope's coffin to his final resting place left the Vatican to make its way across Rome.
The coffin was visible from atop a modified popemobile. There was more clapping and church bells rang out as the popemobile emerged from a tunnel and crossed the Tiber River.
The popemobile was flanked by police on motorcycles.
Pope Francis' coffin leaves the Vatican en route to his burial place in St. Mary Major Basilica
The coffin is being carried on the back of a popemobile modified so mourners lining streets can view it. The 6-kilometre route crosses the Tiber River and passes Italy's monumental Tomb of the Unknown soldier, the ancient Roman Forum and the Colosseum before reaching the basilica.
The coffin will be met by about 40 migrants, prisoners, and homeless and transgender people, reflecting the pontiff's care for people who are marginalised.
Funeral Mass ends
Pope Francis' funeral Mass has ended, and cardinals have filed back into St. Peter's Basilica.
The crowd applauded as white-gloved pallbearers lifted the pope's coffin to bring it back inside the basilica. From there, it will be moved to the popemobile to make its way across Rome to Francis' burial place in St. Mary Major.
Meditative chant is sung at funeral Mass
A litany of saints was sung out during the funeral Mass for Pope Francis, a meditative chant that is part of the traditional rites.
It was followed by a blessing from Eastern rite Catholic churches chanted in Greek by patriarchs and priests. The pages of the New Testament placed atop the coffin fluttered in the wind as Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re blessed the coffin with incense and holy water.
UK's Prince William pays his respects
The prince attended the funeral on behalf of his father, King Charles III.
He stood side by side with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for a moment's silence in front of Pope Francis's sealed coffin.
William, dressed in a dark blue suit and black tie, walked through the ornate basilica and down the steps into St. Peter's Square, before shaking hands with a member of the clergy and being guided to his seat.
He is carrying out his most significant duty so far as heir to the throne. It is the first time the prince has represented the monarch at an international funeral.
Francis is remembered as a pope among the people' in his funeral Mass
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re eulogized Pope Francis on Saturday as a pope of the people, a paster who knew how to communicate to the “least among us” with an informal, spontaneous style.
Re called Francis “a pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone”.
He recalled the last image many people have of Francis was of him delivering what would become his final blessing on Easter Sunday, and saluting from the popemobile in the same piazza where his funeral was being celebrated.
Vatican says about 200,000 people have flocked to Pope Francis' funeral Mass
The brief statement did not specify if that was in St. Peter's Square alone.
Mourners were lined up along Via della Conciliazione, which leads up to the Vatican, and followed the Mass on big screens in public squares in Rome, including outside the Santa Maria Major Basilica.
Trump and Zelenskyy meet before the service
That's according to Zelenskyy's press office.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung confirmed the meeting and said they “met privately today and had a very productive discussion”.
“More details about the meeting will follow,” he said.
Shortly after arriving in Rome last Friday, Trump said on social media that Ukraine and Russia should meet for “very high-level talks” on ending the three-year war sparked by Russia's invasion.
His envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier Friday, and Trump said both sides were “very close to a deal”.
Pope Francis' funeral Mass begins in a packed St. Peter's Square
Tens of thousands flocked to the funeral, which Francis choreographed himself when he revised and simplified the Vatican's rites and rituals last year.
Pallbearers carry Pope Francis' simple wooden coffin
They carried the coffin, adorned with just a crucifix and Francis' coat of arms, down the central aisle of St. Peter's Basilica and out into the square at the start of his funeral.
Red-robbed cardinals lined the path and followed behind as the crowd in the square erupted in applause in a sign of respect.
Cardinals flank pope's coffin
Cardinals in rich red robes formed a double line in St. Peter's Basilica, flanking the coffin as it was carried into the square for the funeral Mass. Pallbearers lifted the coffin to applause from the square.
Trump takes his seat for the funeral
Trump, in a blue suit, and his wife, Melania, were escorted out of St. Peter's Basilica to their seats for the service.
He was followed afterward by Zelenskyy, who was greeted with a burst of applause from the audience.
Giant photographs of Carlo Acutis seen in St. Peter's Square
Acutis was supposed to have been canonised on Sunday as the Catholic Church's first millennial saint.
The Vatican suspended the ceremony after Pope Francis died, but many people who had made plans to be in Rome for the canonization came anyway to attend the funeral. Announcers asked all flags and banners be lowered as the funeral was getting underway. (AP)
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
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