With open hearts, hundreds of thousands bid farewell to Pope Francis

Hundreds of thousands of mourners and world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, packed St Peter's Square on Saturday for the funeral of Pope Francis, "pope among the people" and the Catholic Church's first Latin American leader.

Some waited overnight to get a seat for the ceremony, with the Vatican reporting some 200,000 people in the square and surrounding streets during the ceremony.

The crowds, packed with young people, applauded as the pope's coffin was carried out of St Peter's Basilica by white-gloved pallbearers, accompanied by more than 200 red-robed cardinals.

Francis was "a pope among the people, with an open heart," who strove for a more compassionate, open-minded Catholic Church, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re said in his funeral homily.

There was applause as he hailed the pope's "conviction that the Church is a home for all, a home with its doors always open."

Many of the more than 50 heads of state attending the funeral had entered the Basilica beforehand to pay their respects at the coffin of the Argentine pontiff, who died on Monday aged 88.

Guests included Argentina's President Javier Milei and Britain's Prince William as well as Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky -- who met with Trump shortly beforehand, their first encounter since February's Oval Office clash.

Francis sought to steer the centuries-old Church into a more inclusive direction during his 12-year papacy, and his death prompted a global outpouring of emotion.

"I'm touched by how many people are here. It's beautiful to see all these nationalities together," said Jeremie Metais, 29, from Grenoble, France.

"It's a bit like the center of the world today."

Italian and Vatican authorities mounted a major security operation for the ceremony, with fighter jets on standby and snipers positioned on roofs surrounding the tiny city-state.

But after St Peter's bells tolled, the massive crowd was largely silent, watching proceedings on several large screens around the square.

The funeral sets off the first of nine days of official Vatican mourning for Francis, who took over following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in 2013.

After the mourning, cardinals will gather for the conclave to elect a new pope to lead the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.

AFP