Updates: Pope Francis' Funeral Underway, Over 200,000 People Attend

The funeral of Pope Francis began today at 1:30 pm (IST) in the majestic Baroque plaza in front of St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. He will be buried at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome. Many world leaders, including President Droupadi Murmu and US President Donald Trump, are attending the ceremony to honour the Catholic leader.

The funeral has drawn up to 200,000 people, with the Italian and Vatican authorities mounting a major security operation. The funeral sets off the first of nine days of official Vatican mourning for Francis, who took over following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in 2013.

Pope Francis died at the age of 88 on April 21 due to a stroke, weeks after he returned home after battling double pneumonia. Just 20 hours before his death, the pontiff had made his last appearance on Easter, reminding the world of the essence of life and urging people to renew the hope for peace.

Here are the latest updates on Pope Francis funeral:

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