Presidents, prime ministers, and cardinals were among those bidding a final farewell to Pope Francis, a Catholic Church leader described as "a pope among the people. "

His death drew worldwide tributes.

The 88-year-old Argentine native who died on Easter Monday has been acclaimed for his leadership of the Catholic Church, which is known for reaching out to society's most needy.

US president Donald Trump joined UK prime minister Keir Starmer and other world leaders and dignitaries for the open-air funeral mass in St Peter's Square, The Independent reported.

Ukraniain president Volodymyr Zelensky appeared to receive a round of applause as he stepped out of St Peter's Basilica.

Around 400,000 people from all walks of life poured into St. Peter's Square and the adjacent areas to bid their final farewell to Pope Francis at his Requiem Mass.

Vatican News reported that over 150,00 others lined the streets of Rome as his coffin was taken in procession to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.

Italian cardinal Giovanni Battista Re officiated the mass in front of the coffin of the late Pope Francis during the funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025.

"He was a Pope among the people," with an open heart towards everyone, especially the marginalized, the least among us, but "also a Pope attentive to the signs of the times and what the Holy Spirit was awakening in the Church," said Re.

"The final image we have of him, which will remain etched in our memory, is that of last Sunday, Easter Sunday, when Pope Francis, despite his serious health problems, wanted to give us his blessing from the balcony of Saint Peter's Basilica," said Re.

"He (Francis) then came down to this Square to greet the large crowd gathered for the Easter Mass while riding in the open-top Popemobile."

Proceedings began at 10 a.m. local time.

After the service at St Peter's Basilica, a procession moved Francis' body to St Mary Major, a basilica in central Rome that the late Pontiff frequently visited.

He requested to be buried in a tomb inside the basilica beneath St Peter's where 91 of his predecessors are buried.

The route crossed the River Tiber and passed Piazza Venezia followed by the Colosseum.

     - Crowds line Rome's streets 

Crowds lined Rome's streets of Rome to pay their respects to the deceased Pope.

They applauded as the coffin passed them in a white vehicle, similar to the open-top pope-mobile.

Francis left instructions to be buried in a simple underground tomb in Rome's papal basilica of Saint Mary Major.

In the 15 to 20 days following Francis' burial the College of Cardinals will summon the cardinals to Rome to elect the next pope.

They will gather in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel for the conclave.

The cardinals cannot communicat with the outside once they have entered, until a new pope is chosen.

To vote the cardinals must be under 80 years, so only 135 of the 252 cardinals will be eligible.

A new pope needs a two-thirds majority and it can take time.