250,000 at Vatican; Pope Francis driven through Rome
Pope Francis, the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, will be 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.
Thousands of people line the streets of Rome as Pope Francis heads to final resting place
Tens of thousands of people have lined the four-mile route between St. Peter’s Basilica and Rome’s Basilica of Saint Mary Major, where Pope Francis will be laid to rest this afternoon.
People could be seen crying and applauding the vehicle carrying his coffin as thousands took the final opportunity to thank Pope Francis.
The procession is taking the pope’s body past a number of Rome’s historical landmarks, including the Roman Forum and the Colosseum.
When Pope Francis arrives at Rome’s Basilica of Saint Mary Major, it will be the last time he will be seen in public before he is buried, and the basilica reopens to visitors again on Sunday.
Bells toll for Pope Francis as funeral concludes
The coffin carrying Pope Francis was carried through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica for a final time on Saturday morning as bells tolled for the pope throughout the Vatican.
The funeral, lasting over two hours, concluded with bells ringing for the pontiff as tens of thousands gathered to mourn.
Pope Francis’ coffin will now be taken to Rome’s Basilica of Saint Mary Major where he will be laid to rest.
Cardinal Dolan brings ‘your hearts’ to pope’s funeral
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, said in a short video that he brought “your hearts” with him to the Vatican.
“I just want you to know that I bring your sentiments, and your intentions and your hearts with me at the funeral this morning,” Dolan said in the video, which he said was filmed in Vatican City just prior to Saturday’s funeral.
Breeze blows pages of Book of Gospels
It is one of the most poignant and iconic moments in papal funerals: the simple yet profound image of the breeze blowing the pages of the Book of the Gospels resting on top of the pope’s coffin.
More than 250,000 in Vatican
The Vatican is now reporting that the number of people present as Francis’ funeral nears its end is more than 250,000.
ABC News
