Thousands flock to the Vatican for the funeral of Benedict XVI, the conservative pope who dared to resign

Tens of thousands gathered at the Vatican on Thursday for the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a stalwart of conservative values who shocked the Catholic Church when he resigned a decade ago.

Mourners dressed in black poured into St. Peter’s Square ahead of the Mass, which began at 9:30 a.m. local time (3:30 a.m. ET). Pope Francis presided — with the pontiff leading the farewell to his predecessor in an event unprecedented in modern times.

As fog shrouded the top of St. Peter's Basilica, the ceremony began with a prayer by Francis...