The honor of delivering the first reading at Pope Francis’ funeral Mass on Saturday fell to Kielce Gussie, an American who works as a reporter with Vatican News. It was, she said on social media, “a great way to say goodbye” to the pontiff.

The night before Pope Francis was laid to rest halfway around the world, Catholics gathered in Stoughton for a special mass.

An estimated 250,000 people filled St. Peter’s Square and beyond to pay their final respects at the funeral Mass for Pope Francis, who died on Monday at 88.