World bids farewell; Pope Francis laid to rest at Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica

VATICAN CITY: The body of Pope Francis has been laid to rest. Pope Francis's final resting place is the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica. After the funeral services at St. Peter's Basilica were completed, the body was taken to St. Mary Major Basilica in a procession. St. Peter's Square was transformed into a sea of ​​people.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista, head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, presided over the funeral. Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church Mar Raphael Thattil, Major Archbishop Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis, Catholicos, Cardinal Mar George Jacob Koovakkad, Major Archbishop Emeritus Cardinal Mar George Alencherry and others assisted in the funeral.

Delegations from 130 countries arrived to witness the funeral of Pope Francis. Indian President Draupadi Murmu laid a wreath on the Pope's body. Other world leaders also attended the funeral. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of State George Kurien, and Minister Roshy Augustine (representing the Kerala government) also arrived.

US President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Argentine President Javier Milay, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have also arrived to attend the Pope's funeral.