By BY BBC| About 150,000 people lined the streets of Rome to watch as the Pope’s coffin was carried in a procession to his final resting place, the Vatican reports.
That’s slightly less than the number of people who gathered in St Peter’s Square and the surrounding streets for the actual funeral mass. The Vatican says for that ceremony, there were 250,000 mourners in the area.
The Pope’s burial ceremony, which is being led by Cardinal Chamberlain Kevin Joseph Farrell, is expected to end at 14:00 local time (13:00 BST).
Following that, many foreign leaders will leave Rome (some already have) while pilgrims and mourners remain.
Today marks the beginning of a nine-day mourning period called Novemdiales, with a mass held every day in memory of Francis.
Mourning aside, the Catholic world’s attention will soon turn to the conclave – the ritual selection of Francis’ successor where eligible cardinals gather in Vatican City to vote in secret.
The cardinals haven’t confirmed a date yet, but the conclave typically takes place between 15 to 20 days after the pope’s death. That would indicate a date after 6 May is likely.
Meanwhile, on the streets outside St Peter’s Square, tens of thousands of pilgrims are continuing to stream out after the end of the public portion of Pope Francis’ funeral.
It’s warm today in Rome, with a maximum temperature of 23C (73F) forecast by mid-afternoon. For many, the priority is now shade and some lunch.
On the steps of the Chiesa di Santo Spirito in Sassia, groups take a moment of respite as they sit and eat sandwiches and catch their breath. Some have been in St Peter’s Square since before dawn.
Inside, Catholics from all over the world gather to pray and light candles in Pope Francis’ memory.
Families sit alongside nuns and priests. The atmosphere is calm away from the chaos of the streets outside.
