Nigeria, April 27 -- The late Pope Francis, the first Latin American catholic leader who led the church for 12 years, was buried on Friday, five days after he died.

His funeral was held in St. Peter's Square before about 400,000 people, comprising mourners, royalty, dignitaries, and politicians.

With the conclusion of the funeral, the Catholic Church has entered a period of transition known as sede vacante - the vacant seat.

The unofficial conclave has also already begun. The official conclave, a centuries-old tradition for electing a new pope, will officially commence in the coming weeks.

By rule, any baptised Catholic man can be elected. However, in practice, the pope is almost always chosen from among the cardinals present at the c...