President Draupadi Murmu today attended the funeral of Catholic Christian religious leader Pope Francis at the Vatican. She paid tribute to the Pope's body at St. Peter's Basilica. Minority Minister Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State George Kurien and Deputy Speaker of Goa Assembly Joshua D'Souza were also present on the occasion.
The Pope died on April 21 at the age of 88 due to stroke and heart failure. His body has been kept at St. Peter's Basilica for the last darshan, and today is the last day of the last darshan. His coffin will be closed this evening, while his funeral will be held on April 26. Leaders and common people from all over the world will attend this funeral.
A day before his death, Pope Francis gave a silent blessing on the occasion of Easter Sunday. In a statement, he expressed concern over the ongoing conflicts around the world, including Gaza, and appealed for peace. Following the Pope's death, the Indian Home Ministry has declared three days of national mourning.
Pope's funeral will be held today
Pope Francis' coffin was sealed during a ceremony presided over by Cardinal Kevin Farrell after the tribute meeting. His face was covered by Archbishop Diego Ravelli, while Cardinal Farrell sprinkled holy water on the body on the occasion. The Pope's funeral will be held today, April 26, which will be attended by leaders and common people from around the world.
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Pope's body will not be buried in the Vatican
Pope Francis will not be buried in the Vatican, making him the first Pope to be buried outside the Vatican in more than a century. Usually, popes are buried in caves beneath St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, but Pope Francis' final resting place will be the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica across the Tiber River in Rome. He revealed the decision in December 2023, saying he felt a deep connection to the basilica, where he often visited for Sunday prayers in honor of the Virgin Mary. Seven other popes have already been buried at Santa Maria Maggiore, and Pope Leo XIII, who died in 1903, was the last pope to be buried outside the Vatican.
The Delhi government also implemented the Center's order, instructing all Pakistani citizens to leave India immediately
These big names from around the world will attend
The funeral ceremony will be attended by prominent leaders like US President Trump and his wife Melania, French President Macron, German President Frank, outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova, and Ukrainian President Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska. The Pope had been battling health problems for a long time and was recently hospitalized with pneumonia. He died about a month after being discharged from the hospital.
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