The silence is what struck Rev. Michael Duffy, rector of the Cathedral of St. Agnes parish in Rockville Centre.

Though an estimated 250,000 mourners from around the globe filled St. Peter's Square in Rome Saturday for the funeral of Pope Francis, Duffy said the crowd fell into a deep, reverent hush during the Mass.

“It was a powerful shared moment of prayer,” he wrote in a text message after Francis' funeral. “At certain points during the Mass, the silence would break into spontaneous applause, moments when the crowd wanted to express their gratitude and affection for Pope Francis in a very human way.”

Heads of state, ordinary Catholics, politicians, clergy and Long Islanders like Duffy — representing the area’s 1.2 million Catholics — were among the thousands who came to pay their respects to the man known as the "people's pope," who died Monday. 

The Rev. Michael Bartholomew, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish and Our Lady of Good Counsel in Cutchogue and Mattituck, found himself moved — by the service, by the homily, by just being present. 

“I thought the final commendation by the Eastern Patriarchs was memorable and moving. I was so glad I was there. So special to be there,” he wrote in a text message.

Bartholomew concelebrated the Mass in St. Peter's Square, meaning he celebrated it with Catholic bishops and cardinals from around the world.

"I was able to be near other American priests who are studying in Rome. It was a very good experience," he wrote.

Rep. Tom Suozzi, a Catholic, joined a congressional delegation that included both Democrats and Republicans.

“It was such a great honor to be there, celebrating the life of a man that really stood for the values that I try to live by — imperfectly — but the idea of love one another, and forgive one another, and try not to judge,” he saidin a phone interview. “Those are the basic things that Francis said and that my faith teaches, and I was thinking that today and praying for the people that I know that have gone through difficult times, and people that I care about — and even people that I’m not so fond of necessarily.”

Mourning for Francis will continue into the week.

The Diocese of Rockville Centre, which covers Long Island, will host a memorial Mass for Francis, to be celebrated by Bishop John O. Barres, at 7 p.m. Monday at the Cathedral of Saint Agnes, the seat of the diocese.

The Mass will be live-streamed on the web at cfntv.org and on streaming services, and telecast on the Catholic Faith Network, but the diocese invited attendees to come in person.