• World leaders, Christian community, others shower encomiums
• Trump, Zelensky seize moment for ‘historic talks’

Pope Francis, the revered head of the Catholic Church, was laid to rest yesterday at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, Rome, in a solemn ceremony that drew hundreds of thousands of mourners.

World leaders and members of the Christian community graced the historic event.

The Argentine-born pontiff, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88, was celebrated as a “pope among the people” during a poignant funeral Mass held at St. Peter’s Square.

The homily highlighted his enduring legacy of building bridges across religious, political and social divides.

The funeral, attended by an estimated 400,000 people, witnessed the presence of notable world leaders, including United States President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Nigeria’s Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, also led a delegation of the country to the burial.

Trump, who held talks with Zelensky on the sidelines of the funeral, later described their discussions as “positive” with the Ukrainian leader hinting at the talks’ “historic potential.”

Throughout the streets of Rome, a sea of mourners turned out to pay their last respects to Francis, who for more than a decade led the Catholic Church’s 1.4 billion faithful, championing the rights of the poor and advocating for unity across the globe.

The funeral marked the beginning of a nine-day mourning period for Catholics worldwide. Another Mass of mourning is scheduled to hold today at St. Peter’s Square, to be led by Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, widely considered one of the strong contenders to succeed Francis, according to AFP.

Meanwhile, preparations are underway at the Vatican for the upcoming conclave that will elect the next pope.

Officials hinted that the secretive meeting of the College of Cardinals may commence by May 5 or 6, though an official date is yet to be announced.

The passing of Pope Francis signals the end of an era of compassion, inclusivity, and profound service to humanity