Watch Live : Funeral of his holiness Pope Francis begins

Funeral of Pope Francis begins: Pope Francis  the first Latin American pontiff, and the leader of some 1.4 billion Catholics  died aged 88 on April 21, Easter Monday, prompting an outpouring of grief across the world.

After lying in state in St. Peter’s Basilica for three days, Francis’ coffin was transported into the outdoor piazza – marking the start of the funeral.

Political and religious leaders, along with thousands of pilgrims, have gathered at the Vatican to bid farewell to Francis, six days after he gave his Easter blessing to those crowded into St. Peter’s Square.After a “simplified” ceremony in the Vatican, Francis’ body will be taken over the River Tiber to be buried in a tomb in Rome’s Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.