Hundreds of thousands at Pope's funeral

Pontiff's legacy of caring for migrants and downtrodden must survive, cardinal says

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VATICAN CITY - Presidents, royalty and a multitude of simple mourners bade farewell to Pope Francis on April 26 at his funeral, where a cardinal said the pontiff's legacy of caring for migrants, the downtrodden and the environment must not die with him.

"Rich in human warmth and deeply sensitive to today's challenges, Pope Francis truly shared the anxieties, sufferings and hopes of this time," said Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who presided over the funeral mass.

On one side of Pope Francis' coffin in the vast St Peter's Square sat US President Donald Trump, who had clashed with the pontiff on those issues.

On the other side sat cardinals who must decide if Pope Francis' successor should continue with his push for a more open Church or cede to conservatives who want to return to a more traditional papacy.

The Argentine Pope, who had reigned for 12 years, died at the age of 88 on April 21 after suffering a stroke.

The crowd broke into applause when Cardinal Re spoke of Pope Francis' care for immigrants, his constant pleas for peace, the need for negotiations to end wars and the importance of the climate.

Applause rang out at the start of the ceremony as 14 white-gloved pallbearers carried the coffin, inlaid with a large cross, out of St Peter's Basilica and into the square.

Aerial views of the Vatican showed a patchwork of colours black from the dark garb of the world's leaders, red from the vestments of some 250 cardinals, purple worn by some of the 400 bishops and white worn by 4,000 attending priests.