Cardinal George Pell was farewelled at a Requiem Mass in Rome on Saturday morning, attended by Pope Francis, cardinals, bishops, priests, seminarians, religious sisters, colleagues and friends from around the world.
Cardinal Pell’s body had been lying in state at the Church of Santo Stefano degli Abbasini, a small church inside the Vatican. The church was built in 400 and restored in 1479, making it the oldest surviving church in the Vatican.
Ahead of the funeral, a small group of family and friends of the late Cardinal gathered to pray at the church on a cool but brilliantly sunny winter day. Following the prayers, a small portion of red wax was melted on to both ends of the coffin and stamped with the Vatican seal.
The group then processed behind the coffin, the short distance to St Peter's Basilica, where the Requiem Mass took place, beneath the Chair of St Peter in the apse of the Basilica, where Cardinal Pell was ordained to the priesthood on 16 December 1966.
About 500 people had gathered for the Mass and extra chairs were required. The Mass was celebrated by Dean of College of Cardinals, Card Giovanni Batista Re, who celebrated the Requiem Mass for Pope Benedict XVI just a few days prior.
Pope Francis arrived by wheelchair for the final blessing and met with family privately following the Mass.
A private reception was later held at Domus Australia, a former religious institution bought, restored and renovated by Cardinal George Pell for Australian pilgrims and visitors to Rome.
The Requiem Mass and reception was attended by President of Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Perth Archbishop Tim Costello; Archdiocese of Sydney Auxiliary Bishop and long-time friend Bishop Danny Meagher; former private secretary and family friend Dr Michael Casey from Sydney.
The Diocese of Broken Bay was represented by former colleagues and friends: Director of Catholic Schools Broken Bay, Danny Casey and Director of Communications, Katrina Lee.
Others in attendance included friends, business leaders, academics, writers but also his former Vatican staff and driver who all attended to pay their respects.
Also flying in for the Mass was the President of the IOR or Vatican Bank and good friend, Jean-Baptiste de Franssu, and writer and academic George Weigel.
Australian Ambassador to Holy See, Chiara Porro, who has been assisting with the repatriation to Australia of the body, was also in attendance.
Cardinal Pell’s body will be returned to Sydney in the coming days. A Requiem Mass will take place at St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney before he is laid to rest in the Cathedral’s crypt.