It may not have been the send off that many would have wished to give him, but John Hume's funeral was a simple, dignified and family-centred celebration of a remarkable life.
Without the pandemic and the current restrictions, we would have seen world figures, celebrities and, of course, huge crowds from Derry and beyond, all wishing to pay their respects to a man who helped to change so many lives for the better.
His family made it clear they wanted the public health guidance to be observed, asking people instead to light a candle - a symbol of peace - on Tuesday night when Mr Hume's remains arrived at St Eugene's Cathedral.
The cathedral could have been filled many times over for the funeral mass yesterday but just 120 people participated in what was a strictly controlled and socially distanced service.
As it was, the thousands of people who watched the mass from a distance were provided with an insight into John Hume the family man, whose home was full of warmth and love, as well as a constant stream of visitors.
There was also the glimpse into his later years when dementia took its cruel toll and robbed him of the retirement he deserved.
It was fitting that Fr Paul Farren paid full tribute to Pat Hume, who was absolutely central to her husband's work and achievements.
As Fr Farren put it: ''When the history of Ireland is written if Pat Hume's name is not beside John's it will be an incomplete history.''
While this was overwhelmingly a family funeral, this was no ordinary occasion.
Among those sending tributes were Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama, President Bill Clinton and Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
The messages were a reminder that this man from Derry - teacher, civil rights campaigner, politician and Nobel laureate - had an international stature and unassailable reputation as a peacemaker.
His son, John Hume junior, summed it up so well: ''Thanks Dad, for a life well lived.''
