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Pope Francis and 100,000 mourners say farewell to Benedict
![Pope Francis and 100,000 mourners say farewell to Benedict]()
Pope Francis has joined pilgrims in St Peter's Square to preside over the funeral of his predecessor, who resigned from the papacy in 2013. Pope Francis and 100,000 mourners say farewell to Benedict
Pope Francis has joined pilgrims in St Peter's Square to preside over the funeral of his predecessor, who resigned from the papacy in 2013.
An estimated 100,000 Catholics descended on St Peter's Square for the funeral of the former pope Benedict XVI.
Benedict died on Saturday, aged 95, almost a decade after becoming the first pope in 600 years to resign. He now also becomes the first former pontiff in the modern history of the Catholic church to be buried by an incumbent pope, Francis, who arrived outside St Peter's Basilica in a wheelchair on Thursday.
The dome of St Peter's basilica at the Vatican was shrouded in mist as the cypress-wood coffin containing Pope Benedict XVI's body was brought out and placed on the steps.
There was applause from the faithful who had gathered for the funeral.
Benedict was then interred in a tomb beneath the basilica.
