Francis hailed as ‘a pope among people’ as world leaders join 200,000 mourners

The 88-year-old 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

Some 200,000 people gathered for the Pope’s funeral (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

The “final image” of Pope Francis will be him greeting crowds on Easter Sunday despite “serious health problems”, the 200,000 people who gathered for his funeral in Vatican City were told.

Presidents, prime ministers and cardinals are among those bidding a final farewell to a religious leader described as “a pope among the people”, whose death sparked tributes from across the globe.