Pope Francis laid to eternal rest 

Pope Francis, a champion of the poor who strived to forge a more compassionate Catholic church, was laid to eternal rest on Friday.

More than 250,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square and Vatican City today (April 26) to pay tribute to Pope Francis.

Traveling from around the world, from monarchs to the poor, another 150,000 people gathered along the route from St Peter's to Santa Maria Maggiore, Francis' final resting place, on a mild and sunny day to attend the funeral of the 88-year-old pontiff who died Monday. 

Dozens of heads of state and 10 reigning sovereigns, including those on far extremes of the political spectrum, attended the funeral. U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were there, as were former President Joe Biden and former First Lady Jill Biden.

The Vatican said 400,000 people packed St Peter's Square and lined the streets of Rome for the funeral of the first Latin American leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.

After a solemn funeral, the Argentine pontiff's plain wooden coffin -- a testament to a life of humility -- was driven slowly to Rome's Santa Maria Maggiore church, where he was interred in a private ceremony.

Cardinals marked his coffin with red wax seals before it was lowered into a tomb set inside an alcove, according to images released by the Vatican.

Guatemalan Maria Vicente, 52, holding a rosary, cried as she watched the coffin being carried into Santa Maria Maggiore, the pope's favourite Roman church.