In Pictures: World leaders join faithful as Pope Francis is laid to rest

Huge crowds descended upon Vatican City on Saturday to bid a final farewell to a religious leader dubbed the “people’s pope”.

Pope Francis, who died aged 88 on Easter Monday, has been hailed for his 13-year leadership of the Catholic Church.

The Vatican said around 200,000 people attended the funeral mass which took place under clear blue skies.

US President Donald Trump joined UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the Prince of Wales and a host of other world leaders and dignitaries including Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky for the open-air funeral mass in St Peter’s Square.

Some 55 heads of state, 14 heads of government and 12 reigning monarchs joined mourners for the open-air service in front of St Peter’s Basilica.

Following the funeral, Francis’s remains were taken by motorcade through the streets of Rome as crowds lined the streets.

The Vatican confirmed in a video on Saturday afternoon that Pope Francis had been buried in a simple underground tomb at a private ceremony at St Mary Major basilica in the centre of Rome.