President Murmu Departs for Vatican to Attend State Funeral of Pope Francis

NEW DELHI:
President Droupadi Murmu, accompanied by a high-level delegation, departed for Vatican City on Friday to attend the state funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 at the age of 88.

Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Minority Affairs George Kurian, and Deputy Speaker of the Goa Assembly Joshua De Souza are part of the Indian delegation.

During her two-day visit from April 25–26, President Murmu will pay tribute on behalf of the government and the people of India. As per the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), she will lay a wreath at Saint Peter’s Basilica and participate in the funeral mass at Saint Peter’s Square, which is expected to witness attendance from over 130 international delegations, including 50 heads of state and 10 reigning monarchs.

In a statement, the MEA said, “His Holiness Pope Francis will be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world.”

Global leaders such as US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, and UK’s Prince William are among the confirmed dignitaries attending the funeral.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing deep grief, said Pope Francis’ legacy of compassion and dedication to the poor would continue to inspire generations. “Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world… His affection for the people of India will always be cherished,” PM Modi shared in a message on social media.

India had earlier declared three days of state mourning following the Pontiff’s demise. In honour of the funeral, April 26 will be observed as a day of national mourning. The Ministry of Home Affairs stated that the national flag will be flown at half-mast across all government buildings and there will be no official entertainment.

Pope Francis, who became the first Latin American pontiff in 2013, served as the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He succeeded Pope Benedict XVI and will be laid to rest at the Basilica of St. Mary Major following the funeral, which will be led by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re.