Francis's Funeral To Be Grand Farewell To 'Pope Of The Poor'

Source: International Business Times

More than 250,000 people paid their respects at the coffin of Pope Francis ahead of his funeral AFP Pope Francis, champion of the poor and the Church's first Latin American leader, will be honoured Saturday with a funeral attended by world leaders and tens of thousands of Catholic faithful. The Argentine pontiff, who died on Monday aged 88, sought to create a more open-minded Church during his 12-year papacy, and many emotional tributes have been made -- with 250,000 people paying respects at his coffin in St Peter's Basilica. US President Donald Trump is among more than 50 heads of state due to attend the mass in St Peter's Square at the Vatican, set to start at 10:00 am (0800 GMT).