Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 02:37pm on 26 Apr 2025,Saturday International
Pope Francis was laid to rest at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, breaking a centuries-old Vatican tradition. Over 200,000 mourners, including 54 world leaders and 12 royals, gathered to bid farewell to the first Latin American Pontiff, who died at 88. His funeral began with a solemn Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica before his coffin was carried out to thunderous applause. Pope Francis had requested a simple tomb outside the Vatican walls. His final message, posted hours before his death, called for global peace and reminded the world, "Christ is risen! Life, not death, defines our existence." (PC: Reuters)
