Pope Francis’ coffin was met by bishops and top cardinals in St. Mary Major Basilica, where he will be buried in a private ceremony later on Saturday. Pallbearers paused before the icon of the Madonna that Francis revered in a final salute, and four children lay white roses at the altar of the chapel that contains the icon. The pallbearers then continued with the coffin toward the niche where Francis will be buried beneath a simple tombstone bearing his name in Latin. The Vatican media footage returned to the icon and then to the basilica’s exterior to allow the burial to proceed in private. World leaders and Catholic faithful bade farewell to Francis in a funeral on Saturday that highlighted his concern for the “most peripheral of the peripheries” and reflected his wishes as pastor. Though presidents and princes attended the Mass in St. Peter’s Square, prisoners and migrants will welcome him at the basilica across town where he will be buried. Some 250,000 people flocked to the funeral Mass and tens of thousands more lined the motorcade route, clapping and cheering “Papa Francesco”. His simple wooden coffin travelled aboard one of his old popemobiles to its final resting place on the other side of the city.