The funeral of Cardinal Basil Hume has taken place in London. The leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Basil Hume, was buried in Westminster Cathedral after a funeral mass attended by representatives of Britain's royal family as well as religious and political leaders.
Two thousand people gathered in Westminster Cathedral for the service, while thousands more stood outside. The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, were among the mourners. They heard the Cardinal described as "a humble man, but one who had been a rock of spiritual strength". Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh were represented by the Duchess of Kent, who was received into the Catholic Church by the late Cardinal. The Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey and other religious leaders attended.
Five hundred clergy co-celebrated the Requiem Mass for the cardinal, who was the spiritual leader of over four million Roman Catholics in England and Wales until his death from cancer last week at the age of 76.
