Pope Francis, the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, was buried Saturday at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major after dying one week ago at 88 years old.
Francis, who took his name after Saint Francis of Assisi, was known for his outreach to the poor and those in poverty and that will be reflected in his minimalist burial at Saint Mary Major. He is the first pope to be buried outside the Vatican in over a century and the first to be buried at Santa Maria Maggiore in more than 300 years.
HIGHLIGHTS
- He was laid to rest in Rome’s St. Mary Major Basilica, near an icon of the Madonna that he revered because it reflected his humble and simple life.
- Earlier, hundreds of thousands of people gathered at the Vatican to mourn the late pontiff, who was loved by many around the world for railing against war, capitalism and climate change and for his work with the poor and dispossessed.
- Foreign delegations from 164 countries attended the funeral, including President Donald Trump, who met with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of the requiem Mass. Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, as well as Britain’s Prince William and French President Emmanuel Macron, were also in attendance.
- Francis’ funeral and interment come after his body lay in state in St. Peter’s Basilica for three days. At least 250,000 mourners filed past his coffin to pay their respects.
The Holy See is expected to release details of the upcoming conclave — the cardinals’ vote for the next pope — after Francis’ funeral has finished.
The rite of the entombment began at 1 p.m. local time following the pope’s funeral at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City and a 4-mile procession through Rome. Hundreds of thousands of mourners lined the streets and filled St. Peter’s Basilica to pay their final respects to the late pontiff.
Senior cardinals and members of Francis’ family were present as he was laid to rest at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.
Trump departs Rome as Francis’ burial proceeds
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump have boarded Air Force One after attending Pope Francis’ funeral.
The president met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of the funeral, but any additional meetings with foreign leaders on the sidelines of the burial will likely be delayed since the plane has already departed Rome.
Valerie Herrera says Pope Francis ‘touched her heart’ after infamous, sweet interaction with him in 2015
Valerie Herrera, a 26-year-old from Illinois, told ABC News that Pope Francis “touched her heart” after she was involved in a notable interaction with the pontiff in Rome
The groundbreaking event, held Aug. 31, 2015, marked the first time a pope had ever engaged in such direct dialogue with Americans through virtual technology.
The pope spoke for nearly an hour via satellite to groups including Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago; Sacred Heart Church in McAllen, Texas; and homeless individuals and outreach workers in Los Angeles.
Valerie Herrera was 17 when she shared her story with Pope Francis about struggling with a rare skin disorder and turning to music to cope with bullying. In a touching moment during the virtual town hall, the pope asked her to sing for him.
-News Agencies.
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