Chronicle EditorSikhumbuzo Moyo
BULAWAYO Archbishop Alex Thomas will not attend the late Pope Francis’ burial on Saturday, however, the Church will hold a memorial service at St Mary’s Cathedral in the City on Friday.
The Roman Catholic leader died on Easter Monday at the age of 88, and the Vatican has since revealed that the cause of his death was a stroke that put him into a coma and led to heart failure.
“I will not be going (to the funeral). We will have a service here at St. Mary’s on Friday at 5.30pm,” said Archbishop Thomas.
The Vatican also said the pope had decreed that he will be buried in St. Mary Major Basilica in a simple underground tomb.
The late pontiff’s body was brought to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday to lie in state until burial on Saturday, with hordes of world political and religious leaders as well as ordinary Catholics expected to be in attendance.
In his condolence message on Tuesday, President Mnangagwa said Pope Francis’ death is a global blow as his voice transcended the boundaries of the Vatican to touch hearts and minds across the world.
In a condolence message, addressed to the acting Head of the Vatican, His Holiness Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the President said the pontiff had greatly impacted global spirituality and moral leadership. He described him as a dedicated servant of the Apostolic See.
Which world leaders have confirmed attendance at Saturday’s funeral? (as reported by Aljazeera)
- Argentina – President Javier Milei
- Belgium – Prime Minister Bart De Wever, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde
- Britain – Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Prince William
- Brazil – President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
- European Union – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola
- East Timor – President Jose Ramos-Horta, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Bendito Freitas
- France – President Emmanuel Macron
- Germany – President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz
- Hungary – President Tamas Sulyok
- Italy – President Sergio Mattarella, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
- Latvia – President Edgars Rinkevics
- Lithuania – President Gitanas Nauseda
- Poland – President Andrzej Duda
- Romania – interim President Ilie Bolojan
- Spain – King Felipe, Queen Letizia
- Switzerland – President Karin Keller-Sutter
- Ukraine – President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
- United States – President Donald Trump
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