The funeral of Stephen Hawking has been held at a church near the Cambridge where he was a fellow for more than half a century. Up to 500 family members, friends and colleagues attended the private service at the Great Saint Mary's Church. And thousands turned up outside the church to pay their respects. CGTN's Xi Jia reports.

"I am just a child who has never grown up. I still keep asking these 'how' and 'why' questions. Occasionally, I find an answer." The curious genius has just left the earth, perhaps to pursue the answers in another sphere. On a typical British rainy day, thousands of people turned up at Great St Mary's Church in Cambridge, to pay homage to the famous English theoretical physicist, Stephen Hawking. The brightest star in science died at the age of 76 in the early hours of March 14th at his home in the British university town.

The atmosphere at the funeral is more like that of a get-together than a last goodbye. This is in line with Professor Hawking's efforts to inspire positivity and vitality, symbolizing the unbounded possibilities of the human mind. When Hawking was first diagnosed with a progressive motor neuron disease, doctors expected him to live for only two more years. But the physicist survived for more than half a century.

Hawking's theories of black holes, singularities and theory of everything sound complicated and very technical. But just like Albert Einstein, he is one of the most popular physicists among the general public, because he addressed astrophysics in a simple and interesting way. His thoughts cruised across the vast universe. Xi Jia, CGTN, Cambridge.