Over a quarter of a million people attended the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome today.
People from all corners of the globe travelled to the Vatican to pay their respects to the late Pontiff.
During the funeral, mourners were told that the late Pontiff wanted to build bridges while flags from different countries could be seen, representing the many nationalities in attendance.
Pope Francis is being buried in the Basilica of St Mary Major.
Bishop of Kildare and Leiglin Denis Nulty is in Rome for the funeral. Bishop Nulty says Pope Francis was their shepherd right up until the end…
“I found very much that in some ways we saw Francis as the wounded prophet, leading us from his wheelchair, leading us from his suffering, but showing immense courage in doing that.”
“He gave powerful witness, I think, to the dignity of life, to the resilience of many people who suffer right across our diocese so much and bear that suffering.”
“Here Francis showed to the very last breath, he was our pope, he was our leader, he was our shepherd.”
Bishop of Ossory Niall Coll has been fondly remembering the papacy of Pope Francis. Bishop Coll says he was a Pope for all…
“They were able to recognise that he was a man of great integrity, great intelligence, great ability to talk in a language that ordinary people could understand.”
“In the sense, you could say that he had very strong pastoral instincts, a very good communicator. We live in an age of communication, so it was fantastic to have a Pope who was so good in that way.”
“His predecessor, Pope Benedict, had been a great intellectual, had contributed greatly to the church, but Francis had more of a popular touch, not just with Catholics, but with all.”
“He attracted people from every religious faith unknown.”
