Whitney Houston's funeral ends after 4-hour tribute

Pall-bearers carry the casket of pop singer Whitney Houston to a hearse following her funeral service at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jerseyon Feb 18, 2012. Hollywood stars, music greats and relatives praised the 'sweet miracle' of Whitney Houston at a moving funeral service in her hometown on Saturday, one week after the pop singer's sudden death. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

NEWARK (AFP) - Hollywood stars, music greats and relatives praised the 'sweet miracle' of Whitney Houston at a moving funeral service in her hometown on Saturday, one week after the pop singer's sudden death.

A gold-coloured hearse delivered Houston's body to Newark's New Hope Baptist Church, where she sang as a child before her voice was shaped and nurtured into a spectacular vocal that arguably made her the biggest star of her era.

Houston's casket was adorned with flowers as actor Kevin Costner stood up to deliver an emotional tribute to the singer, whose death at the age of 48 prompted sadness, grief and respect from fans and contemporaries worldwide.

'I urge us all inside and outside, across the nation and around the world, to dry our tears, suspend our sorrow and perhaps our anger just long enough, just long enough to remember the sweet miracle of Whitney,' Costner said.