President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos will attend the funeral of Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro confirmed on Wednesday, April 23.
While she did not divulge other information in her text message to reporters, reports said the Pope’s funeral will be held on Saturday at St. Peter’s Square.
Pope Francis died at 88 on Monday, April 21, a day after the Easter Sunday Mass. The Vatican later announced that the pontiff suffered a stroke and cardiac arrest.
On Monday, President Marcos described Francis as the best pope of his lifetime.
“Ibang klase si Pope Francis (Pope Francis is different). That’s really sad. I love this Pope. The best Pope in my lifetime, as far as I’m concerned,” he said.
Marcos described the Pope’s passing as a “profoundly sad day.”
“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 said.
“It is a profoundly sad day,” he added.
According to Marcos, Pope Francis taught humanity to extend kindness and care to one another.
“His humility brought many back to the fold of the Church,” he said.
“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,” he added.
Pope Francis spent five weeks in the hospital early this year due to double pneumonia. He returned to the Vatican almost a month ago and even appeared before the crowd at St. Peter’s Square with a message of “Happy Easter.”
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 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 position.
Pope Francis made a historic visit to the Philippines in 2015, following the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013. During his visit, Pope Francis celebrated Mass at the Manila Cathedral and the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas.
The Pontiff also held an emotional outdoor Mass in Tacloban City amid strong rains and winds brought about by an approaching storm. (Argyll Geducos)
