By Mark Abrams and Pat Ciarrocchi

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – A funeral mass for the former spiritual leader of Philadelphia’s 1.5 million Catholics was being held today at the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul, in center city Philadelphia.

Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, who led the archdiocese for more than 15 years, died last week at the age of
88 (see previous story).

The mass was set to begin at 2pm following a procession at 1:40pm.  Archbishop Charles Chaput is the principal celebrant. The Rev. Monsignor Louis D’Addezio was slated to deliver the homily.

Bevilacqua will be entombed in the crypt beneath the cathedral’s altar with a rite of committal.

The cardinal retired in 2003 but in recent months had become central to a child sex abuse case involving former priests and a former high-ranking church administrator (see related story).