Pope Francis' funeral began with an antiphon - a short musical chant - and a psalm. Like most of the service today, the text is in Latin.

"Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei," sang the choir and congregation. (Eternal peace grant unto him, O Lord, and light eternal shine upon him).

The Sistine Chapel Choir - the prestigious group of 20 men and about 30 boys who are the Pope's personal choir - intoned Psalm 64: "Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion; et tibi reddetur votum in Ierusalem" (To you, O God, is due praise in Zion. To you we pay our vows in Jerusalem).

After waiting in sombre silence, the crowd in St Peter's Square began to applaud as the late Pope's coffin was carried out in solemn procession shortly after 11 o'clock (BST).

The 91-year-old Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Re, said a short prayer in which he confessed his sins, asked for forgiveness and absolution.

"Brother, let us confess our sins and so prepare ourselves for the celebration of the holy mysteries," he said. 

The choir sang in Greek the Kyria, a prayer for mercy.

The ceremony began in the presence of a number of world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, French Head of State Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Argentine President Javier Millay, outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen. | BGNES