Hundreds gather for Cardinal George Pell’s Sydney funeral

SYDNEY (AP) — Hundreds of mourners and protesters carrying rainbow flags have gathered at a Sydney cathedral for the funeral and interment of polarizing Cardinal George Pell, who was once the most senior Roman Catholic convicted of sex abuse. Pell died last month at age 81. He spent more than a year in prison before his child abuse convictions were overturned in 2020. There was a heavy police presence at the cathedral in downtown Sydney as mourners began arriving hours before Thursday’s funeral service. Sydney-based gay rights group Community Action for Rainbow Rights had called for people to join what it calls its “Pell go to Hell!” protest outside the cathedral.