George Pell: Mourners and protesters clash at cardinal's Sydney funeral

At Cardinal George Pell's funeral in Australia on Thursday, mourners muttered prayers and softly sung hymns but were at times drowned out by protesters condemning him to hell.

The Catholic cleric - who died last of surgery complications last month aged 81 - leaves a complicated legacy.

Formerly one of the Pope's top aides, he was Australia's top-ranked Catholic.

But his public image was tainted by unproven allegations he both concealed and committed child sexual abuse.

Those allegations loomed large in Sydney on Thursday. At one point, police outside St Mary's Cathedral intervened to separate angry mourners from chanting protesters. Earlier, one protester was arrested.

Inside the church, where Cardinal Pell served as the city's archbishop for over a decade, dignitaries including former Prime Ministers John Howard and Tony Abbott filled pews. Hundreds more gathered in a forecourt to watch the requiem Mass on big screens.

Noticeably absent were Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet - himself a devout Catholic. Both sent delegates.

In a message read to the congregation, Pope Francis praised Cardinal Pell's "dedication to the gospel and to the Church", while Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher lauded him as "giant of the Catholic Church in Australia" who had been wrongly demonised.

Over six decades, Cardinal Pell rose to prominence in the Church as a strong supporter of traditional Catholic values.

He took on the role of Vatican treasurer in 2014 but left in 2017, returning to Australia to face trial on child sexual abuse charges. He was convicted, then later acquitted on appeal.

Many of Cardinal Pell's supporters believe he was unfairly persecuted, and that his record on the issue of child sexual abuse is part of what made him great.

Mr Abbott, who spoke at the funeral, claimed Cardinal Pell had been the first Australian Catholic to sack child abusers and report them to police. Others pointed to the landmark - but controversial - compensation scheme he set up.

"He was greatest man I've ever known," Mr Abbott said.

Cardinal George Pell was Australia's highest-ranking Catholic

Others who gathered to pay their respects said he was a kind man, quick to offer support and encouragement to those going through challenging times.

One mourner told the BBC he hopes the cardinal will be remembered "for the things he did and not for the things that he was accused of".

"He was a good man," Nathan, 33, added. "He fought for the rights of many people, contrary to popular belief."

But outside the cathedral square, child abuse survivors remembered him as someone who had failed to protect them.

Some travelled from other states to tie ribbons to the church fence - a gesture seen in Australia as a tribute to victims of the Church abuse crisis. Most were cut down overnight on Wednesday by supporters of Cardinal Pell.

A landmark inquiry into Australian child sexual abuse found Cardinal Pell had personally known of abuse by priests as early as the 1970s and had failed to act. Cardinal Pell disputed the findings, saying they were "not supported by evidence".

Maureen, 75, came to leave a ribbon on behalf of a close friend, who was abused by a Catholic teacher.

"I can't let today pass without standing for him. He is not well enough to stand for himself," she told the BBC.

Maureen was among those who left hundreds of ribbon tributes for child sexual abuse survivors

Protesters gathering in parkland opposite the cathedral remembered Cardinal Pell as a "monstrous bigot".

"Pell stood for blatant homophobia, misogyny... covering up abuse within the Catholic Church," organiser Kim Stern told the BBC.

"We think it's pretty disgusting he's getting a send-off like this."

• Cardinal Pell's death brings few tears in Australia

Also out in force were police, trying to temper simmering tensions.

Thursday's funeral follows weeks of tense debate in Australia about Cardinal Pell's legacy.

Mourner Louisa Pastoois personally admired the cardinal, but she told the BBC she has accepted his legacy will be mixed.

"The legacy he leaves behind in the Church, and the world… is something different," Louisa said.

"I think there needed to be someone to take the blame for all that's happened in the church… there needs to be a face to the sins and unfortunately, it was his."