Pope Francis Laid to Rest After Grand Farewell

Pope Francis was laid to rest on Saturday during a solemn funeral attended by presidents, royalty, and ordinary mourners.

The Argentine pope, who reigned for 12 years, died at the age of 88 on Monday after suffering a stroke.

“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 Vatican estimated more than 250,000 people attended the ceremony, cramming the square and the roads around.

After the funeral, as the great bells of St. Peter’s pealed in mourning, the coffin was placed on an open-topped popemobile and driven through the heart of Rome to St. Mary Major Basilica.