- विज्ञापन -
Vatican City: President Droupadi Murmu paid homage to Pope Francis at the Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City on Friday along with senior Indian ministers, Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, said the President Murmu paid homage at the Saint Peter’s Basilica.
She was accompanied by Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju; Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, George Kurian, MEA said in a post on X.
“President Droupadi Murmu @rashtrapatibhvn paid homage to His Holiness Pope Francis at the Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. President Murmu was accompanied by Minister @KirenRijiju and MoS @GeorgekurianBjp to pay respects.”
President Droupadi Murmu is on visit to the Vatican City for two days from April 25 to 26 to attend Pope Francis’s state funeral and offer condolences on behalf of the Government and people of India.
Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta on April 21, according to a statement from the Vatican. He was the first Latin American pontiff to lead the Roman Catholic Church after taking over from Pope Benedict XVI on March 13, 2013.
On April 26, President Murmu will attend the funeral Mass of Pope Francis at Saint Peter’s Square in Vatican City, where dignitaries from around the world will also be present.
In a press release, MEA stated, “His Holiness Pope Francis will be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world.”
India on Thursday declared that state mourning will be observed on April 26 in honour of the funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis, the Supreme Pontiff of the Holy See.
Earlier on Thursday, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs made the declaration through a statement and further announced that the national flag would be flown at half-mast on the day throughout India in all buildings where it is flown regularly, and there would be no official entertainment.
