NEW YORK (WABC) -- World dignitaries and Catholic faithful attended Pope Francis' funeral in St. Peter's Square on Saturday.
Despite the presence of presidents and princes, prisoners and migrants ushered him into the basilica where he will be buried, reflecting his priorities as pope, as hundreds of thousands have flocked to the funeral Mass.
U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, the U.N. chief and European Union leaders, as well as Prince William and the Spanish royal family, were in attendance.
Francis is breaking with recent tradition to be buried in the St. Mary Major Basilica in a simple underground tomb with just his name: Franciscus.
Argentinian-born Jorge Mario Bergoglio became the Catholic Church's 266th pope and the first ever from Latin America. He took the name Francis after the well-known St. Francis of Assisi, who ministered to the poor.
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke, setting off mourning in the Catholic world and days of ritual at the Vatican.
The coffin carrying Pope Francis was carried through the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica for a final time on Saturday morning as bells tolled for the pope throughout the Vatican.
The funeral, lasting over two hours, concluded with bells ringing for the pontiff as tens of thousands gathered to mourn.
Pope Francis' coffin will now be taken to Rome's Basilica of Saint Mary Major where he will be laid to rest.
It is one of the most poignant and iconic moments in papal funerals: the simple yet profound image of the breeze blowing the pages of the Book of the Gospels resting on top of the pope's coffin.
The book was opened to the reading, "In the Passion and death of the Lord."
Pope Francis' funeral Mass has ended, and cardinals have filed back into St. Peter's Basilica.
The crowd applauded as white-gloved pallbearers lifted the pope's coffin to bring it back inside the basilica. From there, it will be moved to the popemobile to make its way across Rome to Francis' burial place in St. Mary Major.
"They would help him around and help him with visitors and now they're helping him to his final resting place."
The Vatican is now reporting that the number of people present as Francis' funeral nears its end is more than 250,000.
The Vatican earlier released a brief statement reporting a crowd of 200,000.
