Pope furious over lavish mafia funeral: Drawn by carriage, roses dropped from helicopter

Italy's top officials, Pope Francis and the residents of Rome are shocked by the discovery that notorious mafia boss Vittorio Casamonica received a church funeral in Rome with high honors, reports il Fatto Quotidiano, as carried by the Patria news agency.

While the media investigates who allowed the mafia boss's final farewell with traffic stops and police security, Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano has requested a detailed investigation from Rome's prefect Franco Gabrielli.

Indeed, the funeral the mafia boss received was truly lavish - an ornate antique carriage drawn by six horses transported the coffin to the church, and roses were dropped from a helicopter. "You conquered Rome, now conquer Paradise," read a large banner at the church entrance.

This has also prompted a reaction from church circles, and the case has angered Pope Francis himself, who has repeatedly spoken out against the mafia in Italy, reports Index.