By Ighomuaye Lucky. O
Pope Francis, 88, has been laid to rest at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, which sits outside the Vatican walls in the centre of Rome.
The 266th pontiff was buried following a well-attended funeral Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday.
Italy’s interior minister, Matteo Piantedosi, disclosed that the funeral Mass drew more than 400,000 mourners from across the globe to Vatican City, including US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Pope Francis’ coffin was carried out of St Peter’s Basilica to its final resting place by white gloved pallbearers, accompanied by more than 200 red-robed cardinals.
Recall that Pope Francis, 88, had a protracted battle with bilateral pneumonia. He was discharged from hospital on March 23.
The Argentine, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, emerged as leader of the Catholic Church on March 13, 2013, following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on February 28, 2013.
He was the first pope from the Society of Jesus (the Jesuit Order) and the first from the Americas and the Southern Hemisphere.
