Mourners around the world gather as Pope Francis laid to rest in Rome Pope Francis was described as a 'pope among the people' Pallbearers carry the coffin during the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square (Image: Getty Images ) Tens of thousands of people gathered today for the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican City. Presidents, prime ministers and cardinals were among those who gathered to pay their respects to a religious leader described as “a pope among the people”, whose death sparked tributes from across the globe. The 88-year-old, who died on Easter Monday, has been hailed for his leadership of the Church, proving popular among young people and known for his outreach to those most in need in society. The pontiff's body has been lying in state since Wednesday at St. Peter's Basilica, where tens of thousands of people have queued to pay their respects. ‌ Addressing those gathered in St Peter’s Square on Saturday morning, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re said: “The final image we have of him, which will remain etched in our memory, in our eyes and our hearts is that of last Sunday, Easter Sunday, when Pope Francis, despite his serious health problems, wanted to give us his blessings from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica. Article continues below “He then came down to this square to greet from his open pope-mobile the large crowd gathered for the Easter mass.” US President Donald Trump joined UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and a host of other world leaders and dignitaries for the open-air funeral mass in St Peter’s Square. ‌ Volodymyr Zelensky appeared to receive a round of applause as he stepped out of St Peter’s Basilica. Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky met before the funeral and are expected to do so again afterwards, according to Ukrainian officials. The Vatican has said 200,000 people attended the funeral. Others attending include the Prince of Wales – who attended on behalf of the King, Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Irish President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris, Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and Michelle O’Neill, the First Minister of Northern Ireland. ‌ Before the funeral William, side by side with Sir Keir, stood for a moment’s silence in front of Pope Francis’s sealed wooden and zinc coffin in its place before the altar in St Peter’s Basilica. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, center, and his wife Victoria arrive for the funeral of Pope Francis (Image: AP ) It is the first time the prince has represented the monarch at an international funeral. William spoke briefly to US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump on his way into the service. ‌ The seating plan was based on a complex order of precedence, with Argentina – the country of the Pope’s birth – and Italy at the front. Other sovereigns, heads of state, and heads of government were then seated in alphabetical order of their countries’ names in the French language – used because French is considered the language of diplomacy. Cardinal Re also told the crowd Pope Francis was “a pope among the people” who “truly shared the anxieties, sufferings and hopes of this time”. ‌ The cardinal said: “He was a pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone. “He was also a pope attentive to the signs of the times and what the Holy Spirit was awakening in the Church, with his characteristic vocabulary and language rich in images and metaphors, he always sought to shed light on the problems of our time with the wisdom of the gospel.” The cardinal added: “He had great spontaneity and an informal way of addressing everyone, even those far from the Church. Rich in human warmth and deeply sensitive to today’s challenges, Pope Francis truly shared the anxieties, sufferings and hopes of this time. ‌ “He gave of himself by comforting and encouraging us with a message capable of reaching people’s hearts in a direct and immediate way. “His charisma of welcome and listening combined with a manner of behaviour in keeping with today’s sensitivities touched hearts and sought to reawaken moral and spiritual sensibilities.” Cardinal Re also said the Pope “incessantly raised his voice” for peace and urged people to “build bridges not walls”. ‌ Crowds had gathered in the nearby streets before 5am, with nuns, priests and lay people alike making their way towards St Peter’s Square. A tight security presence saw roads in the vicinity closed as Italian police managed the huge numbers keen to get as close as they could to the square. In Liverpool, mourners paid their respects to Pope Francis at a mass held at the Metropolitan Cathedral this morning. ‌ Speaking to the ECHO before the service started, Joseph Nze, 33, from Toxteth said he found the death of Pope Francis ‘overwhelming’, and said his ‘sense of loss is very great’. Joseph added: "Pope Francis stood for everything Jesus spoke about. It shouldn’t matter if you’re rich or poor, everyone deserves respect and to live life to the fullest". Joseph Nze, 33, from Toxteth ‌ Cornelius Lansana, 50, from Toxteth, was also in attendance at this morning's mass in Liverpool and said he was ‘shocked and upset’ by the death of Pope Francis. Cornelius added: "He’s with God now. He was a lovely man. I've come to pray for him. He was a brilliant advocate for the poor and a great pope to me and all the world’s Catholics." In Rome, some 250,000 mourners paid their respects to Pope Francis over a three-day lying-in-state, which ran overnight from Wednesday due to high demand. ‌ The final mourners had a chance to see the Pope close up in the grand surrounds of St Peter’s Basilica, before the coffin was closed in private on Friday evening. Following the open-air funeral in the square, Francis’s coffin was taken through the streets of Rome in another break with tradition, as his body was brought to a simple underground tomb in the basilica of Saint Mary Major, as per his instructions. During the journey, crowds had their chance to catch a glimpse of a pontiff who proved popular with many during his 12-year papacy. ‌ The Vatican said a group of “poor and needy” people will be present on the steps leading to the basilica to pay their last respects before the interment of the coffin, in a nod to Francis’s particular care for the downtrodden. Conclave, the secret meeting of cardinals to elect Francis’s successor, is thought likely to begin on May 5. Irish-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell – the camerlengo or senior Vatican official – has been responsible for carrying out the administrative and financial duties of the Holy See until a new pope takes over. Article continues below He had the role of announcing the Pope’s death on Easter Monday, co-ordinating meetings with the cardinals before conclave and ensuring the Sistine Chapel is ready to accommodate them when that process begins in the coming weeks. The sign of a new pope having been elected will be the emergence of white smoke from a chimney of the Sistine Chapel while, soon after, an announcement in Latin of “Habemus Papam” – meaning “we have a pope” – is made alongside the chosen pontiff’s appearance on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica.