The coffin with the body of Silvio Berlusconi arrived at the cathedral in Milan shortly after 15:00 and the car in which the body was transported was followed by a large motorcade.
According to the Italian media, there were 2300 officials present in the cathedral who have arrived for the last farewell of the Italian politician.
Flags were lowered to half-mast and family members, including the former Italian prime minister’s children and ex-wife, sat in the front row of the cathedral, La Repubblica reported.
In addition to local politicians, officials from Brussels have attended to bid farewell to the Italian, as have the presidents of Iraq and Qatar, as well as Hungary’s Prime Minister, Viktor Orban.
Officials from the sports world have also crowded the church, and “La Stampa” reports that the presidents of Inter, Napoli, and Lazio have all arrived for the burial, while the piazza has been “occupied” by Milan’s most fervent followers.
Berlusconi was led from the mansion to Arcore, where a big crowd had gathered, before the casket arrived at the cathedral.
According to Italian media, one of those there yelled, “There is only one president.”
After leaving the villa, the hearse arrived in the plaza in front of the church of Milan, where it was accorded military honors before the corpse was carried into the church by six Carabinieri.
“More than two thousand officials in the cathedral applauded long for this act,” reports La Stampa.
The archbishop of Milan, Mario Delpini, presided over the burial, describing Berlusconi as a man of life and love.
“Berlusconi was a politician, but he was also a businessman who was famous; what can we say about him in this moment of farewell and prayer, he was a man with a desire for life, a desire for love and joy.”
He is a man and now he meets God”, said Delpini.
After the ceremony in Milan’s cathedral, Berlusconi’s body should be cremated according to the wishes of the family.
The ashes of the former Italian prime minister will be sent to the family mausoleum in the grounds of the villa in the northern town of Arcore.