Russia says goodbye to Yeltsin

April 25, 2007

The service took place at Moscow's cathedral of Christ the Saviour, blown up by Stalin and rebuilt under Yeltsin as a symbol of national revival. Thousands of Russians filed past the open coffin to pay their last respects following Yeltsin's death from heart failure on Monday at the age of 76. Wednesday was declared a day of national mourning in Russia. In another break with Soviet traditions, Yeltsin was buried in Moscow's Novodevichye cemetery rather than on the Red Square like other Soviet leaders.