Vatican City, April 25 (ANI): On Friday, President Droupadi Murmu visited Vatican City to pay respects to Pope Francis at the St. Peter’s Basilica. She was accompanied by several high-ranking Indian officials, as stated by the Ministry of External Affairs on the same day.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesman, Randhir Jaiswal, stated that President Murmu offered respects at the Saint Peter’s Basilica.
The statement from the Ministry of External Affairs noted that she was joined by Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, as well as George Kurian, who serves as Minister of State for Minority Affairs along with Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, all mentioned in an X post.
President Droupadi Murmu @rashtrapatibhvn offered tribute to His Holiness Pope Francis at the Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Accompanying her were Minister @KirenRijiju and MoS @GeorgekurianBjp as they conveyed their respect.
President Droupadi Murmu will be visiting Vatican City for two days, from April 25 to 26, to participate in Pope Francis’s state funeral and extend her condolences on behalf of both the Indian government and its citizens.
According to an announcement from the Vatican, Pope Francis died at the age of 88 at his home within the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta on April 21. He became the first pope hailing from Latin America when he succeeded Pope Benedict XVI as leader of the Roman Catholic Church on March 13, 2013.
On April 26, President Murmu is scheduled to participate in the funeral Mass for Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, joining representatives from various countries who will also be in attendance.
In a press statement, MEA declared, “Pope Francis will be recalled by countless people worldwide as a symbol of kindness, modesty, and moral fortitude.”
On Thursday, India announced that the country would observe a day of national mourning on April 26 for the funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis, who serves as the Supreme Pontiff of the Holy See.
On Thursday, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs issued an announcement via a statement, additionally stating that the national flag would fly at half-staff nationwide across all regular flying locations within the country on that specific day, with no official festivities taking place.
Previously, the ministry declared a three-day period of national mourning to honor the memory of His Holiness Pope Francis following his death. The first two days of this observance took place on April 22 and April 23, with an additional day set aside for mourning on the date of the funeral.
On April 22, Kirti Vardhan Singh, the Union Minister of State for External Affairs, went to the Apostolic Nunciature (the Embassy of the Holy See) in New Delhi to sign the condolences register. In honor of Pope Francis’s death, India announced a period of national mourning lasting three days.
On April 21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences following the passing of Pope Francis, noting that the pontiff’s love for the Indian people would forever be remembered with fondness.
Pope Francis’s departure has deeply saddened me. At this moment of sorrow and reflection, I extend my sincere sympathies to the worldwide Catholic community. Millions around the globe will remember Pope Francis as an emblem of compassion, modesty, and unwavering spiritual bravery. Even from childhood, he dedicated himself to fulfilling Jesus Christ’s teachings. With dedication, he ministered to the less fortunate. To those in distress, he brought a light of hope,” wrote PM Modi in a tweet.
“I have pleasant memories of our encounters and am profoundly moved by his steadfast devotion to comprehensive and equitable progress. The warmth he held toward the Indian populace will forever remain dear to us. May his soul rest eternally at peace within divine grace,” added the Prime Minister.
The Vatican has additionally shared photographs depicting Pope Francis lying in an open casket, adorned with a crimson robe and wearing the papal tiara atop his head, along with a rosary clasped in his hand. These visuals were captured inside the Casa Santa Marta’s prayer room, which serves as His Holiness’s dwelling within the Vatican premises.
Giovanni Battista Re, who serves as the dean of the College of Cardinals, will conduct the funeral ceremony. Following the service, Cardinal Re will recite the closing benediction—a final prayer where the Pope will officially be committed to divine care—and subsequently, the remains will be transferred to St. Mary Major Basilica for interment. (ANI)
Provided by Syndigate Media Inc. (
Syndigate.info
).