Pope visits Rome parish for friend's funeral

(ANSA) - Vatican City, December 31 - Pope Francis on Tuesday visited a Rome parish for the funeral of a friend of his, Professor Maria Grazia Mara, who died Monday.
    The funeral took place in the parish of San Giuseppe al Nomentano.
    At the end of the funeral the pope said goodbye to some of those present and then returned to the Vatican, Vatican press office director Matteo Bruni said.
    The pope's visit was in a strictly private form, Bruni said.
    Maria Grazia Mara was a university lecturer who wrote several books on the history of Christianity.
    She died at the age of 95, when she was still teaching catechism to children.