Presidents and members of America’s most famous family paid final tribute Saturday to Edward M Kennedy, mourning the loss of a senator who was a political force for over 47 years in Congress and of the man who carried the Kennedy clan through tragedy and triumph.

President Barack Obama was delivering the eulogy to cap a two-hour Roman Catholic funeral Mass for Kennedy. The service drew to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica three of the four living former presidents, dozens of Kennedy relatives, pews full of current and former members of Congress and hundreds of others affected by the senator in ways large and small. Kennedy died late Tuesday night at age 77, after battling brain cancer for more than a year.

No fewer than seven priests, 11 pallbearers and 29 honorary pallbearers took part. Kennedy’s flag-draped casket - carried by eight servicemen - was wrapped tightly in plastic to guard against a steady, unseasonably cold rain as it was removed from his brother’s presidential library and put into a hearse for the drive to the church. His widow, Victoria, closed her eyes slowly and appeared to choke back tears as she watched under cover of an umbrella. The family had held a brief and private prayer service at the library in the morning.