MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos will attend the funeral of Pope Francis at Vatican City’s St. Peter’s Square this Saturday, April 26.
According to Presidential Communications Office’s Undersecretary Claire Castro, while the First Couple are headed to Vatican, it is not yet clear when they will depart.
The 88-year-old pope passed away due to stroke and irreversible heart failure on Monday morning (Vatican time) at his residence.
His funeral has been set for Saturday at 10 a.m. (4 p.m. Philippine time) in St. Peter’s Square and his remains will be taken to St. Peter’s Basilica and then to the Basilica of St. Mary Major for entombment.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis was elected Supreme Pontiff on March 13, 2013. He became the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit to hold the said position.
Pope Francis, fondly called “Lolo Kiko” by Filipinos, visited the Philippines in 2015 and celebrated Mass at the Manila Cathedral and in the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas.
President Marcos on Monday paid tribute to the late pontiff, describing him as the “best Pope” in his lifetime.
“Ibang klase si Pope Francis. That’s really sad. I love this Pope. The best Pope in my lifetime as far as I’m concerned,” President Marcos said. “He is a man of profound faith and humility.”
“Pope Francis led not only with wisdom but with a heart open to all, especially the poor and the forgotten,” he added. “By example, Pope Francis taught us that to be a good Christian is to extend kindness and care to one another.”
“As we mourn his passing, we honor a life that brought hope and compassion to so many and inspired us to love one another as Christ loved us. It is a profoundly sad day,” Marcos further said./PN
